Job - Chapter 12

1And Job made answer and said, 2No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you. 3But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these? 4It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of! 5In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping. 6There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength. 7But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you; 8Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it. 9Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this? 10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man. 11Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth? 12Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge. 13With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his. 14Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose. 15Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned. 16With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands; 17He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish; 18He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them; 19He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions; 20He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old; 21He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong; 22Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright; 23Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up. 24He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way. 25They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.