King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 And Job answered and said,
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Yes, you are the voice of the people.
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
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When you die, wisdom will die with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
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But I have as much sense as you have; I am in no way inferior to you; everyone knows all that you have said.
4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
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Even my friends laugh at me now; they laugh, although I am righteous and blameless; but there was a time when God answered my prayers.
5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
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You have no troubles, and yet you make fun of me; you hit someone who is about to fall.
6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
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But thieves and godless people live in peace, though their only god is their own strength.
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
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Even birds and animals have much they could teach you;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
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ask the creatures of earth and sea for their wisdom.
9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
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All of them know that the Lord's hand made them.
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
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It is God who directs the lives of his creatures; everyone's life is in his power.
11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
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But just as your tongue enjoys tasting food, your ears enjoy hearing words.
12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
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Old people have wisdom, but God has wisdom and power. Old people have insight; God has insight and power to act.
13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
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When God tears down, who can rebuild, and who can free those God imprisons?
15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
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Drought comes when God withholds rain; floods come when he turns water loose.
16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
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God is strong and always victorious; both deceived and deceiver are in his power.
17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
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He takes away the wisdom of rulers and makes leaders act like fools.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
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He dethrones kings and makes them prisoners;
19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
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he humbles priests and men of power.
20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
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He silences those who are trusted, and takes the wisdom of old people away.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
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He disgraces those in power and puts an end to the strength of rulers.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
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He sends light to places dark as death.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
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He makes nations strong and great, but then he defeats and destroys them.
24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
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He makes their leaders foolish and lets them wander confused and lost;
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
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they grope in the dark and stagger like drunkards.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.