| English Standard Version | International Standard Version |
| 1Then Job answered and said: | 1In response Job replied: |
| 2“No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. | 2"Truly, you are the people and wisdom will die with you! |
| 3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? | 3Like you, I also have understanding. I'm not inferior to you; who doesn't know things like this?" |
| 4I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called to God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock. | 4"I'm a laughingstock to my friends, someone who called on God. But then he answered this upright and blameless man, and I have become a laughingstock. |
| 5In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip. | 5The carefree are thinking, 'I have contempt for misfortune,' Those who are about to stumble deserve it. |
| 6The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hand. | 6The tents of robbers are at rest, and those who provoke God are secure, that is, those who carry their god in their pocket. |
| 7“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; | 7"Ask the wild animals, and they'll teach you; the birds of the sky will tell you. |
| 8or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. | 8Or ask the green plants of the earth and they'll teach you; let the fish in the sea tell you. |
| 9Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? | 9Who among all of these doesn't know that the LORD's hand made them, |
| 10In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. | 10and that the life of every living thing rests in his control, along with the breath of every living human being? |
| 11Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food? | 11The ear scrutinizes speech just as the palate tastes food." |
| 12Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. | 12"Wisdom may be found in the company of the aged. Understanding comes with longevity. |
| 13“With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. | 13With God is wisdom and strength; counsel and understanding belongs to him. |
| 14If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. | 14When he tears down, nobody rebuilds; when he incarcerates, nobody escapes. |
| 15If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. | 15When he withholds water, rivers dry up; when he lets them loose, they'll flood the land. |
| 16With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. | 16"With God are strength and sound wisdom; both the deceived and those who deceive are responsible to him. |
| 17He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools. | 17He leads counselors away naked; he turns judges into fools. |
| 18He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips. | 18He strips away the authority of kings to punish and puts them in prison clothes instead. |
| 19He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. | 19He leads away the priests naked and overthrows the ruling class. |
| 20He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders. | 20He keeps reliable advisors from speaking, and removes discernment from elders. |
| 21He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong. | 21He pours contempt on nobles and embarrasses the mighty. |
| 22He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. | 22He uncovers the hidden dimensions from darkness, bringing what is in deep shadow to light. |
| 23He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away. | 23He makes nations great, and then destroys them; he enlarges nations, but then sends them away to captivity. |
| 24He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a trackless waste. | 24He withdraws understanding from national leaders of the world, causing them to wander through uncharted wilderness. |
| 25They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man. | 25They grope in the dark without light; he causes them to stagger around like a drunkard." |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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