| Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 Iyov responded:
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1 Then Job replied:
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2 "No doubt you are [the only] people [that matter]; and when you die, so will wisdom.
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2 "Doubtless you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!
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3 But I too have a brain, as much as you, In no way am I inferior to you. Besides, who doesn't know things like these?
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3 But I have a mind as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know all these things?
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4 "Anyone who calls on God, and he answers him, becomes a laughingstock to his friends -they make fun of an innocent, blameless man.
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4 "I have become a laughingstock to my friends, though I called upon God and he answered-- a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
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5 Those at ease have contempt for misfortune, for the blow that strikes somebody already staggering.
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5 Men at ease have contempt for misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
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6 The tents of robbers prosper, [the homes of] those who anger God are secure, those who carry their gods in their hands.
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6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed, and those who provoke God are secure-- those who carry their god in their hands.
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7 "But ask the animals - they will teach you -and the birds in the air - they will tell you;
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7 "But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
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8 or speak to the earth - it will teach you -and the fish in the sea will inform you:
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8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you.
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9 every one of them knows that the hand of ADONAI has done this!
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9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
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10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the spirit of every human being.
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10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
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11 Shouldn't the ear test words, just as the palate tastes food?
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11 Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food?
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12 Is wisdom [only] with aged men? discernment [only] with long life?
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12 Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?
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13 "With God are wisdom and power; he has [good] counsel and understanding.
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13 "To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.
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14 When he breaks something down, it can't be rebuilt; when he imprisons someone, he can't be released.
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14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man he imprisons cannot be released.
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15 When he holds back water, there is drought; when he sends it out, it overruns the land.
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15 If he holds back the waters, there is drought; if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
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16 With him are strength and common sense; both the misled and those who mislead are his.
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16 To him belong strength and victory; both deceived and deceiver are his.
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17 He leads counselors away captive, he makes fools of judges.
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17 He leads counselors away stripped and makes fools of judges.
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18 He removes authority from kings, then binds them up [as prisoners].
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18 He takes off the shackles put on by kings and ties a loincloth around their waist.
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19 He leads cohanim away captive and overthrows those long in power.
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19 He leads priests away stripped and overthrows men long established.
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20 Those who are trusted he deprives of speech, and he removes the discernment of the aged.
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20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the discernment of elders.
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21 He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong.
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21 He pours contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
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22 He discloses the deepest recesses of darkness and brings light into shadows dark as death.
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22 He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.
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23 He makes nations great and destroys them; he enlarges nations, then leads them away.
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23 He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
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24 He removes understanding from a country's leaders and makes them wander in trackless deserts.
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24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; he sends them wandering through a trackless waste.
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25 They grope in unlit darkness; he makes them stagger like drunks.
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25 They grope in darkness with no light; he makes them stagger like drunkards.
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| Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (The Complete Jewish Bible Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
