Job’s Reply to Zophar

1Then Job answered:

2No doubt you are the people,

and wisdom will die with you!

3But I also have a mind like you;

I am not inferior to you.

Who doesn’t know the things you are talking about?a a

4I am a laughingstock to myA friends,

by calling on God, who answers me.B

The righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock.a

5The one who is at easea holds calamity in contempt

and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.

6The tents of robbers are safe,a

and those who trouble God are secure;

God holds them in his hands.a b

7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;

ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.a

8Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;

let the fish of the sea inform you.

9Which of all these does not know

that the hand of the Lord has done this?a

10The life of every living thing is in his hand,

as well as the breath of all humanity.a

11Doesn’t the ear test words

as the palate tastes food?

12Wisdom is found with the elderly,

and understanding comes with long life.a

13Wisdom and strength belong to God;

counsel and understanding are his.a

14Whatever he tears down cannot be rebuilt;

whoever he imprisons cannot be released.a

15When he withholds water, everything dries up,

and when he releases it, it destroys the land.a

16True wisdom and power belong to him.

The deceived and the deceiver are his.

17He leads counselors away barefoot

and makes judges go mad.a

18He releases the bondsA put on by kingsa

and fastens a belt around their waists.

19He leads priests away barefoot

and overthrows established leaders.a

20He deprives trusted advisers of speech

and takes away the elders’ good judgment.

21He pours out contempt on nobles

and disarmsA the strong.

22He reveals mysteries from the darkness

and brings the deepest darkness into the light.a

23He makes nations great, then destroys them;

he enlarges nations,a then leads them away.

24He deprives the world’s leaders of reason,

and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.a

25They grope around in darkness without light;

he makes them stagger like a drunkard.a