| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And Job answered and said, | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. | 2No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will 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? | 3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who doesn't know the things you are talking about? |
| 4I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. | 4I am a laughingstock to my friends, by calling on God, who answers me. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. |
| 5He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. | 5The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping. |
| 6The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. | 6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure; God's power provides this. |
| 7But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: | 7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. |
| 8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. | 8Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you; let the fish of the sea inform you. |
| 9Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? | 9Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? |
| 10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. | 10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind. |
| 11Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? | 11Doesn't the ear test words as the palate tastes food? |
| 12With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. | 12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. |
| 13With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. | 13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His. |
| 14Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. | 14Whatever He tears down cannot be rebuilt; whoever He imprisons cannot be released. |
| 15Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. | 15When He withholds the waters, everything dries up, and when He releases them, they destroy the land. |
| 16With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. | 16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. |
| 17He leadeth counsellers away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. | 17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes judges go mad. |
| 18He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. | 18He releases the bonds put on by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. |
| 19He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. | 19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows established leaders. |
| 20He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. | 20He deprives trusted advisers of speech and takes away the elders' good judgment. |
| 21He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. | 21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the strong. |
| 22He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. | 22He reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deepest darkness into the light. |
| 23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. | 23He makes nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges nations, then leads them away. |
| 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. | 24He deprives the world's leaders of reason, and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. |
| 25They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. | 25They grope around in darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunken men. |
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