Job 12

¹Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,

²Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?

³And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?

⁴He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.

⁵A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.

⁶The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.

⁷No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.

⁸Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.

⁹Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?

¹⁰In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.

¹¹Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?

¹²Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.

¹³Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.

¹⁴If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.

¹⁵If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.

¹⁶Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.

¹⁷And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.

¹⁸He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.

¹⁹He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;

²⁰and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.

²¹He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.

²²Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.

²³Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.

²⁴Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.

²⁵Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.

Job 12

¹And Job answered and said,

²No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

³But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

⁴I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

⁵He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

⁶The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

⁷But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

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

⁹Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?

¹⁰In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

¹¹Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

¹²With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

¹³With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

¹⁴Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

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

¹⁶With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

¹⁷He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

¹⁸He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

¹⁹He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

²⁰He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

²¹He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

²²He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

²³He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

²⁴He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

²⁵They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.