Job’s Fourth Speech

12 Then[fn] Job answered and said,

• 2 “Truly indeed you[fn] are the people,
• and wisdom will die with you.[fn]
• 3 I also have insight[fn] like you;[fn]
• I am not more inferior than you.[fn]
• And who does not know things like these ?[fn]
• 4 I am a laughingstock to my friends:[fn]
• ‘ He calls on God, and he answers him.’
• A righteous, blameless man is a laughingstock.
• 5 Those at ease have contempt[fn] for the thought of disaster ,[fn]
• but it is ready for those unstable of foot.
• 6 The tents of the destroyers are at peace,
• and there is security for those who provoke God,
• for those whom God brings into his hand.[fn]
• 7 “But[fn] ask[fn] the animals, and they will teach you,
• and the birds of the heaven, and they will tell you;
• 8 or ask the earth, and it will teach you,
• and the fishes of the sea will declare to you.
• 9 Who among all of these does not know
• that Yahweh’s hand has done this?
• 10 In whose hand is the life of all living things
• and the breath of every human being ?[fn]
• 11 Does not the ear test words
• and the palate taste food for itself?
• 12 Wisdom is with the aged,
• and understanding is in length of days.
• 13 “With him are wisdom and powerful deeds,
• and to him belong counsel and understanding.
• 14 If he tears down, then[fn] it will not be rebuilt;
• if he shuts a man in, then[fn] he cannot be freed.
• 15 Look, if he withholds the water,[fn] then[fn] they dry up;
• and if he sends them out, then[fn] they overwhelm the land.
• 16 “Strength and sound wisdom are with him;
• the deceived and the deceiver are his.[fn]
• 17 He leads counselors away stripped,
• and he makes fools of judges.
• 18 He loosens the fetters of kings,
• and he binds a loincloth on their loins.
• 19 He leads priests away stripped,
• and he overthrows the members of ancient families .[fn]
• 20 He deprives the trustworthy of speech,
• and he takes away the discretion of elders.
• 21 He pours contempt on noblemen,
• and he loosens the girdle of the mighty.
• 22 “He uncovers mysteries out of darkness,
• and he brings deep shadow to the light.
• 23 He makes the nations great, then[fn] he destroys them;
• he expands the nations, then[fn] he guides them.
• 24 He strips away the insight of the heads of the earth’s people,
• and he makes them wander in a pathless wasteland .[fn]
• 25 They grope in the dark without[fn] light,
• and he makes them stagger like a[fn] drunkard.