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Job 12
Evangelical Heritage Version
Job 12
Evangelical Heritage Version
Transition to Round Two
Job’s Summation
12 Then Job responded:
2 Yes, indeed. You are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I understand things as well as you.[a]
I do not fall short of you.
Who doesn’t know all these things?
4 But I am a laughingstock to my neighbor—
I, who call on God, and he answers me—
I, a righteous and complete man, am a laughingstock!
5 Those who are carefree do not worry about disaster.
They think it is reserved for those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tents of raiders are undisturbed,
and those who provoke God are secure—
those who carry their god in their hand.[b]
7 Please ask the animals, and they will teach you.
Ask the birds of the sky, and they will inform you.
8 Complain to the earth, and it will teach you,
and the fish of the sea will tell you about it.
9 Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord[c] did this?
10 The life of every living thing is in his hand,
as well as the breath[d] in all human flesh.
11 Isn’t it true that the ear tests words
and the palate tastes food?
12 Isn’t it true that wisdom is found among the aged
and understanding among those who have had a long life?
13 But wisdom and power are with God.
He gives guidance and understanding.
14 If he tears something down, it cannot be rebuilt.
If he shuts a door on a man, it cannot be opened.
15 Look! He holds back the waters, and the land dries up.
He turns them loose, and the earth is overwhelmed.
16 He has strength and sound judgment.
The deceiver and the deceived both belong to him.
17 He causes royal advisors to be led away naked.
He makes fools of judges.
18 He takes away the ruling power of kings,
and he wraps a loincloth around their waist.[e]
19 He causes priests to be led away naked,
and he brings the pillars of society down to ruin.
20 He closes the lips of trusted advisors,
and he takes away good judgment from elders.
21 He pours contempt on nobles.
He loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He uncovers deep mysteries that were hidden in darkness.
He brings the shadow of death into the light.
23 He raises nations to power, and then he destroys them.
He enlarges nations, and then he leads them away captive.
24 He deprives the heads of the peoples of the earth of their reason.
He makes them wander in a wild land where there are no roads.
25 They grope around in darkness, where there is no light.
He causes them to wander aimlessly like drunks.
Footnotes
- Job 12:3 Literally my heart is like yours
- Job 12:6 Or those whom God brings in his hand
- Job 12:9 This is the only occurrence of the name Lord in the poetic speeches of Job. The Hebrew variant God suggests that Lord may have been written here accidentally by force of habit.
- Job 12:10 Or spirit
- Job 12:18 The translation of this verse is uncertain. Some translate it as a positive verse in the midst of negatives.
Job 12
New International Version
Job 12
New International Version
Job
12 Then Job replied:
2 “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
and wisdom will die with you!(A)
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?(B)
4 “I have become a laughingstock(C) to my friends,(D)
though I called on God and he answered(E)—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!(F)
5 Those who are at ease have contempt(G) for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.(H)
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,(I)
and those who provoke God are secure(J)—
those God has in his hand.[a]
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,(K)
or the birds in the sky,(L) and they will tell you;(M)
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know(N)
that the hand of the Lord has done this?(O)
10 In his hand is the life(P) of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.(Q)
11 Does not the ear test words
as the tongue tastes food?(R)
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?(S)
Does not long life bring understanding?(T)
13 “To God belong wisdom(U) and power;(V)
counsel and understanding are his.(W)
14 What he tears down(X) cannot be rebuilt;(Y)
those he imprisons cannot be released.(Z)
15 If he holds back the waters,(AA) there is drought;(AB)
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.(AC)
16 To him belong strength and insight;(AD)
both deceived and deceiver are his.(AE)
17 He leads rulers away stripped(AF)
and makes fools of judges.(AG)
18 He takes off the shackles(AH) put on by kings
and ties a loincloth[b] around their waist.(AI)
19 He leads priests away stripped(AJ)
and overthrows officials long established.(AK)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
and takes away the discernment of elders.(AL)
21 He pours contempt on nobles(AM)
and disarms the mighty.(AN)
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness(AO)
and brings utter darkness(AP) into the light.(AQ)
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;(AR)
he enlarges nations,(AS) and disperses them.(AT)
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;(AU)
he makes them wander in a trackless waste.(AV)
25 They grope in darkness with no light;(AW)
he makes them stagger like drunkards.(AX)
Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.