Job 12
12
Job Answers Zophar
1Then Job answered:
2“You really think you are the only wise people
and that when you die, wisdom will die with you!
3But my mind is as good as yours;
you are not better than I am.
Everyone knows all these things.
4My friends all laugh at me
when I call on God and expect him to answer me;
they laugh at me even though I am right and innocent!
5Those who are comfortable don’t care that others have trouble;
they think it right that those people should have troubles.
6The tents of robbers are not bothered,
and those who make God angry are safe.
They have their god in their pocket.
7“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.
8Speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish of the sea tell you.
9Every one of these knows
that the hand of the Lord has done this.
10The life of every creature
and the breath of all people are in God’s hand.
11The ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.
12Older people are wise,
and long life brings understanding.
13“But only God has wisdom and power,
good advice and understanding.
14What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
anyone he puts in prison cannot be let out.
15If God holds back the waters, there is no rain;
if he lets the waters go, they flood the land.
16He is strong and victorious;
both the one who fools others and the one who is fooled belong to him.
17God leads the wise away as captives
and turns judges into fools.
18He takes off chains that kings put on
and puts a garment on their bodies.
19He leads priests away naked
and destroys the powerful.
20He makes trusted people be silent
and takes away the wisdom of elders.
21He brings disgrace on important people
and takes away the weapons of the strong.
22He uncovers the deep things of darkness
and brings dark shadows into the light.
23He makes nations great and then destroys them;
he makes nations large and then scatters them.
24He takes understanding away from the leaders of the earth
and makes them wander through a pathless desert.
25They feel around in darkness with no light;
he makes them stumble like drunks.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.