| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1In response Job replied: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2"Truly, you are the people and wisdom will die with you! | 2No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you! |
| 3Like you, I also have understanding. I'm not inferior to you; who doesn't know things like this?" | 3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who doesn't know the things you are talking about? |
| 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. | 4I am a laughingstock to my friends, by calling on God, who answers me. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. |
| 5The carefree are thinking, 'I have contempt for misfortune,' Those who are about to stumble deserve it. | 5The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping. |
| 6The tents of robbers are at rest, and those who provoke God are secure, that is, those who carry their god in their pocket. | 6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure; God's power provides this. |
| 7"Ask the wild animals, and they'll teach you; the birds of the sky will tell you. | 7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. |
| 8Or ask the green plants of the earth and they'll teach you; let the fish in the sea tell you. | 8Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you; let the fish of the sea inform you. |
| 9Who among all of these doesn't know that the LORD's hand made them, | 9Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? |
| 10and that the life of every living thing rests in his control, along with the breath of every living human being? | 10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind. |
| 11The ear scrutinizes speech just as the palate tastes food." | 11Doesn't the ear test words as the palate tastes food? |
| 12"Wisdom may be found in the company of the aged. Understanding comes with longevity. | 12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. |
| 13With God is wisdom and strength; counsel and understanding belongs to him. | 13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His. |
| 14When he tears down, nobody rebuilds; when he incarcerates, nobody escapes. | 14Whatever He tears down cannot be rebuilt; whoever He imprisons cannot be released. |
| 15When he withholds water, rivers dry up; when he lets them loose, they'll flood the land. | 15When He withholds the waters, everything dries up, and when He releases them, they destroy the land. |
| 16"With God are strength and sound wisdom; both the deceived and those who deceive are responsible to him. | 16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. |
| 17He leads counselors away naked; he turns judges into fools. | 17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes judges go mad. |
| 18He strips away the authority of kings to punish and puts them in prison clothes instead. | 18He releases the bonds put on by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. |
| 19He leads away the priests naked and overthrows the ruling class. | 19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows established leaders. |
| 20He keeps reliable advisors from speaking, and removes discernment from elders. | 20He deprives trusted advisers of speech and takes away the elders' good judgment. |
| 21He pours contempt on nobles and embarrasses the mighty. | 21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the strong. |
| 22He uncovers the hidden dimensions from darkness, bringing what is in deep shadow to light. | 22He reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deepest darkness into the light. |
| 23He makes nations great, and then destroys them; he enlarges nations, but then sends them away to captivity. | 23He makes nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges nations, then leads them away. |
| 24He withdraws understanding from national leaders of the world, causing them to wander through uncharted wilderness. | 24He deprives the world's leaders of reason, and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. |
| 25They grope in the dark without light; he causes them to stagger around like a drunkard." | 25They grope around in darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunken men. |
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