12:1 And Job answered and said,

12:2 Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you!

12:3 I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these?

12:4 I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call upon +God, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright [man].

12:5 He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

12:6 The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke ∙God are secure; into whose hand +God bringeth.

12:7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowl of the heavens, and they shall tell thee;

12:8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

12:9 Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this?

12:10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man.

12:11 Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food?

12:12 With the aged is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.

12:13 With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.

12:14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening.

12:15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; and he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

12:16 With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

12:17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;

12:18 He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter;

12:19 He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty;

12:20 He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders;

12:21 He poureth contempt upon nobles, and slackeneth the girdle of the mighty;

12:22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out into light the shadow of death;

12:23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in;

12:24 He taketh away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste.