Job 12 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 12 ▼
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God's Word Translation
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1 Then Job replied [to his friends], Then Job answered and said: Then Job replied:
2 |You certainly are [wise] people, and when you die, wisdom will die. “No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. “Doubtless you are the only people who matter, and wisdom will die with you!
3 Like you, I have a mind. I am not inferior to you. But who doesn't know these things? But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? But I have a mind as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know all these things?
4 I am a laughingstock to my neighbors. I am one who calls on God and expects an answer. A man of integrity, a man who is righteous, has become a laughingstock. I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called to God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock. “I have become a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God and he answered— a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
5 |A person who has an easy life has no appreciation for misfortune. He thinks it is the fate of those who slip up. In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip. Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6 [But] robbers' tents are prosperous, and there is security for those who provoke God, for those whose god is their power. The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hand. The tents of marauders are undisturbed, and those who provoke God are secure— those God has in his hand.
7 |Instead, ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds, and they will tell you. “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
8 Or speak with the earth, and it will teach you. Even the fish will relate [the story] to you. or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 What creature doesn't know that the LORD's hands made it? Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
10 The life of every living creature and the spirit in every human body are in his hands. In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
11 Doesn't the ear distinguish sounds and the tongue taste food? Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food? Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food?
12 |Wisdom is with the ancient one. The one who has had many days has insight. Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?
13 God has wisdom and strength. Advice and insight are his. “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.
14 When he tears [something] down, it cannot be rebuilt. When he puts someone in prison, that person cannot be freed. If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; those he imprisons cannot be released.
15 When he holds back the waters, there is a drought. When he releases them, they flood the earth. If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. If he holds back the waters, there is drought; if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
16 |God has power and priceless wisdom. He owns [both] the deceiver and the person who is deceived. With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. To him belong strength and insight; both deceived and deceiver are his.
17 He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools out of judges. He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools. He leads rulers away stripped and makes fools of judges.
18 He loosens kings' belts and strips them of their pants. He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips. He takes off the shackles put on by kings and ties a loincloth around their waist.
19 He leads priests away barefoot and misleads those who serve in a temple. He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. He leads priests away stripped and overthrows officials long established.
20 He makes trusted advisers unable to speak and takes away the good judgment of respected leaders. He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders. He silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the discernment of elders.
21 He pours contempt on influential people and unbuckles the belt of the mighty. He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong. He pours contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
22 He uncovers mysteries [hidden] in the darkness and brings gloom into the light. He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light.
23 He makes nations important and then destroys them. He makes nations large and leads them away. He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away. He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
24 He takes away the common sense of a country's leaders and makes them stumble about in a pathless wilderness. He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a trackless waste. He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; he makes them wander in a trackless waste.
25 They grope in the dark with no light, and he makes them stumble like drunks. They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man. They grope in darkness with no light; he makes them stagger like drunkards.
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