King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 And Job answered and said,
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Then Job answered:
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
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"No doubt you are the people, and 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 understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
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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I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called upon God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, I am a laughingstock.
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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Those at ease have contempt for misfortune, but it is ready for those whose feet are unstable.
6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
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The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hands.
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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"But ask the animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell 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 plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
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Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
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In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.
11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
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Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?
12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
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Is wisdom with the aged, and understanding in length of days?
13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
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"With God are wisdom and strength; he has 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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If he tears down, no one can rebuild; if he shuts someone in, no one can open up.
15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
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If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
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With him are strength and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
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He leads counselors away stripped, and makes fools of judges.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
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He looses the sash of kings, and binds a waistcloth on their loins.
19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
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He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
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He deprives of speech those who are trusted, and takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
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He pours contempt on princes, and looses the belt of the strong.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
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He uncovers the deeps out of darkness, and brings deep darkness to light.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
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He makes nations great, then destroys them; he enlarges nations, then leads them away.
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 strips understanding from the leaders of the earth, and makes them wander in a pathless waste.
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 without light; he makes them stagger like a drunkard.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.