Third Millennium Bible TMB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 And Job answered and said:
1
Then Job replied [to his friends],
2 "No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
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"You certainly are [wise] people, and when you die, wisdom will die.
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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Like you, I have a mind. I am not inferior to you. But who doesn't know these things?
4 I am as one mocked by his neighbor, who calleth upon God, and He answereth him; the just and upright man is laughed to scorn.
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I am a laughingstock to my neighbors. I am one who calls on God and expects an answer. A man of integrity, a man who is righteous, has become 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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"A person who has an easy life has no appreciation for misfortune. He thinks it is the fate of those who slip up.
6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
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[But] robbers' tents are prosperous, and there is security for those who provoke God, for those whose god is their power.
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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"Instead, ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds, 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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Or speak with the earth, and it will teach you. Even the fish will relate [the story] to you.
9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this,
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What creature doesn't know that the LORD's hands made it?
10 in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?
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The life of every living creature and the spirit in every human body are in his hands.
11 Doth not the ear test words, and the mouth taste his meat?
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Doesn't the ear distinguish sounds and the tongue taste food?
12 With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days, understanding.
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"Wisdom is with the ancient one. The one who has had many days has insight.
13 "With Him are wisdom and strength; He hath counsel and understanding.
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God has wisdom and strength. Advice and insight are his.
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 he tears [something] down, it cannot be rebuilt. When he puts someone in prison, that person cannot be freed.
15 Behold, He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; also He sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
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When he holds back the waters, there is a drought. When he releases them, they flood the earth.
16 With Him are strength and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.
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"God has power and priceless wisdom. He owns [both] the deceiver and the person who is deceived.
17 He leadeth counselors away despoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
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He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools out of judges.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
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He loosens kings' belts and strips them of their pants.
19 He leadeth princes away despoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
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He leads priests away barefoot and misleads those who serve in a temple.
20 He removeth away the speech of the trusted, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
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He makes trusted advisers unable to speak and takes away the good judgment of respected leaders.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
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He pours contempt on influential people and unbuckles the belt of the mighty.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
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He uncovers mysteries [hidden] in the darkness and brings gloom into the light.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
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He makes nations important and then destroys them. He makes nations large and 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 takes away the common sense of a country's leaders and makes them stumble about in a pathless wilderness.
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 with no light, and he makes them stumble like drunks.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.