Job 12 (Holman Christian Standard)

Job's Reply to Zophar

1 Then Job answered: 2 No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!^a 3 But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who doesn't know the things you are talking about?^bc 4 I am a laughingstock to my^d friends, by calling on God, who answers me.^e The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.^f 5 The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt [and thinks] it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.^g 6 The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure; God's power provides this.^h 7 But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; [ask] the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.ⁱ 8 Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you; let the fish of the sea inform you. 9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?^j 10 The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.^k 11 Doesn't the ear test words as the palate tastes food? 12 Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.^l 13 Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.^m 14 Whatever He tears down cannot be rebuilt; whoever He imprisons cannot be released.ⁿ 15 When He withholds the waters, everything dries up, and when He releases them, they destroy the land.^o 16 True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. 17 He leads counselors away barefoot and makes judges go mad.^p 18 He releases the bonds^q put on by kings^r and ties a cloth around their waists. 19 He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows established leaders.^s 20 He deprives trusted advisers of speech and takes away the elders' good judgment.^t 21 He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms^u the strong. 22 He reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deepest darkness into the light.^v 23 He makes nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges nations, then leads them away.^w 24 He deprives the world's leaders of reason, and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.^x 25 They grope around in darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunken men.^y