Book of Job, Chapter 12
Job 12 NWT - New World TranslationChapter 12 of Job—New World Translation (NWT)
- ¶ And Job proceeded to answer and say:
- ¶ “For a fact YOU men are the people,
And with YOU wisdom will die out!1 - ¶ I too have a heart2 as well as YOU.
I am not inferior to YOU,[a]3
And with whom are there not things like these? - ¶ [One who is] a laughingstock to his fellowman I[b] become,4
One calling to God[c] that he should answer him.5
A laughingstock is the righteous, unblamable one. - ¶ In thought, the carefree one has contempt for extinction itself;6
It is made ready for those of wobbling feet.7 - ¶ The tents of the despoilers are unworried,8
And the ones enraging God[d] have the safety
Belonging to one who has brought a god[e] in his hand.9 - ¶ However, ask, please, the domestic animals, and they will instruct you;10
Also the winged creatures of the heavens, and they will tell you.11 - ¶ Or show your concern to the earth,[f] and it will instruct you;12
And the fishes of the sea13 will declare it to you. - ¶ Who among all these does not well know
That the hand of Jehovah[g] itself has done this,14 - ¶ In whose hand is the soul15 of everyone alive
And the spirit[h] of all flesh of man?[i]16 - ¶ Does not the ear itself test out words17
As the palate18 tastes food? - ¶ Is there not wisdom among the aged19
And understanding [in] length of days?[j] - ¶ With him there are wisdom and mightiness;20
He has counsel and understanding.21 - ¶ Look! He tears down, that there may be no building up;22
He makes it shut to man, that it may not be opened up.23 - ¶ Look! He puts a restraint upon the waters and they dry up;24
And he sends them, and they change the earth.25 - ¶ With him there are strength and practical wisdom;26
To him belong the one making a mistake and the one leading astray;27 - ¶ He is making counselors go barefoot,[k]28
And he makes judges themselves go crazy. - ¶ The bonds[l] of kings he actually loosens,29
And he binds a belt upon their hips. - ¶ He is making priests walk barefoot,30
And permanently seated ones he subverts;[m]31 - ¶ He is removing speech[n] from the faithful ones,
And the sensibleness of old men he takes away; - ¶ He is pouring out contempt upon nobles,32
And the girdle of powerful ones he actually weakens; - ¶ He is uncovering deep things from the darkness,33
And he brings forth to the light deep shadow; - ¶ Making the nations grow great, that he may destroy them;34
Spreading out the nations, that he may lead them away; - ¶ Taking away the heart of the head ones of the people of the land,
That he may make them wander about in an empty place,35 where there is no way. - ¶ They grope in darkness,36 where there is no light,
That he may make them wander about like a drunken man.37
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Lit., “I am not falling behind you.”
- ^ “I,” MVg; LXXSy, “he.”
- ^ “To God.” Heb., le·ʼElohʹah.
- ^ “God.” Heb., ʼEl.
- ^ “A god.” Heb., ʼelohʹah.
- ^ Or, “Or speak thoughtfully to the earth.” By a correction, “Or the reptiles [or, wild beasts] of the earth.”
- ^ “Jehovah,” MLXXSyVg; T(Aram.), Yai.
- ^ “And the spirit (breath) of.” Heb., weruʹach; Gr., pneuʹma; Syr., weru·chaʼ; Lat., spiʹri·tus.
- ^ “Man.” Heb., ʼish.
- ^ Or, “and does not length of days mean understanding?”
- ^ “The One leading counselors captive,” LXX; Vg, “he leads counselors on to a foolish end.”
- ^ By a change of vowel pointing. Lit., “discipline.”
- ^ Or, “and overflowing rivers he causes to run dry.”
- ^ Lit., “lip.”
REFERENCES
- ^ Is 5:21
- ^ Jb 13:2; Pr 2:10
- ^ 2Co 11:5
- ^ Jb 16:10; 17:2; 30:1; Ps 22:7; Heb 11:36
- ^ Ps 91:15; Mc 7:7
- ^ Pr 13:9
- ^ De 32:35
- ^ Jb 21:7; Ps 37:35; 73:12; Je 12:1
- ^ Jg 17:5
- ^ Pr 6:6; Is 1:3; Ro 1:20
- ^ Je 8:7
- ^ Ps 19:4; 148:9
- ^ Ge 1:20
- ^ Je 27:5; Ro 11:36
- ^ Eze 18:4
- ^ Nu 16:22; Ps 104:30; Ec 12:7; Da 5:23
- ^ 1Co 10:15
- ^ Jb 34:3
- ^ Le 19:32; Jb 32:7; Pr 16:31; 20:29
- ^ Jb 9:4; 36:5; Is 44:25; Da 2:20
- ^ Ps 147:5; Is 40:14; Je 10:12; Ro 11:34
- ^ Is 31:2; Je 51:64; Ml 1:4; Jd 7
- ^ Is 22:22
- ^ Ge 8:1; Ex 14:21; Na 1:4
- ^ Ge 6:17; 1Ki 8:36; Ps 104:8
- ^ Jb 12:13; Ro 1:20
- ^ 1Ki 22:22
- ^ Is 29:14; 44:25
- ^ Da 2:21
- ^ Je 14:18; 52:24
- ^ Lu 1:52
- ^ Ps 107:40
- ^ Da 2:22; Mt 10:26; 1Co 4:5
- ^ Re 16:14
- ^ Ps 107:4, 40
- ^ De 28:29; 1Jo 2:11
- ^ Ps 107:27
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