Job 12

Berean Standard Bible

Job Presents His Case

2“TrulyH551 thenH3588 youH859 are the peopleH5971withH5973 whom wisdomH2451 itself will dieH4191!3But I alsoH1571 have a mindH3824 H3644;IH595 am notH3808 inferiorH5307 to youH854.WhoH4310 does notH369 know such thingsH3644 as theseH428?

4I amH1961 a laughingstockH7814 to my friendsH7453,though I calledH7121 on GodH433, and He answeredH6030.The righteousH6662 and upright manH8549 is a laughingstockH7814.5The one at easeH7600 scornsH937 misfortuneH6365as the fateH6248 H3559 of those whose feetH7272 are slippingH4571.6The tentsH168 of robbersH7703 are safeH7951,and those who provokeH7264 GodH410 are secureH987—those who carryH935 their godH433 in their handsH3027.1

7ButH199 askH7592 H4994 the animalsH929, and they will instruct youH3384;ask the birdsH5775 of the airH8064, and they will tellH5046 you.8OrH176 speakH7878 to the earthH776, and it will teach youH3384;let the fishH1709 of the seaH3220 informH5608 you.9WhichH4310 of allH3605 theseH428 does notH3808 knowH3045thatH3588 the handH3027 of the LORDH3068 has doneH6213 thisH2063?10 The lifeH5315 of everyH3605 living thingH2416 is in His handH3027,as well as the breathH7307 of allH3605 mankindH1320 H376.11Does notH3808 the earH241 testH974 wordsH4405as the tongueH2441 tastesH2938 its foodH400?12WisdomH2451 is found with the elderlyH3453,and understandingH8394 comes with longH753 lifeH3117.

13WisdomH2451 and strengthH1369 belong to GodH5973;counselH6098 and understanding are HisH8394.14WhatH2005 He tears downH2040 cannotH3808 be rebuiltH1129;the manH376 He imprisonsH5462 H5921 cannotH3808 be releasedH6605.15IfH2005 He holds backH6113 the watersH4325, they dry upH3001,and if He releases themH7971, they overwhelmH2015 the landH776.16True wisdomH8454 and powerH5797 belong to HimH5973.The deceivedH7683 and the deceiverH7686 are His.17He leads counselorsH3289 awayH1980 barefootH7758and makes foolsH1984 of judgesH8199.18He loosensH6605 the bondsH4148 placed by kingsH4428and fastensH631 a beltH232 around their waistsH4975.19He leads priestsH3548 awayH1980 barefootH7758and overthrowsH5557 the establishedH386.20He deprivesH5493 the trustedH539 of speechH8193and takes awayH3947 the discernmentH2940 of eldersH2205.21He pours outH8210 contemptH937 onH5921 noblesH5081and disarmsH4206 H7503 the mightyH650.22He revealsH1540 the deep thingsH6013 ofH4480 darknessH2822and bringsH3318 deep shadowsH6757 into lightH216.23He makes nationsH1471 greatH7679 and destroys themH6;He enlargesH7849 nationsH1471, then disperses themH5148.24He deprivesH5493 the earth’sH776 leadersH7218 of reasonH3820and makes them wanderH8582 in a tracklessH3808 H1870 wastelandH8414.25They gropeH4959 in the darknessH2822 withoutH3808 lightH216;He makes them staggerH8582 like drunkardsH7910.