ASV - Job Chapter 12 to 13

12 Job 12

¹Then Job answered and said, ²No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall 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? ⁴I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, I who called upon God, and he answered: The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock. ⁵In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth. ⁶The tents of robbers prosper, And they that provoke God are secure; Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. ⁷But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee: ⁸Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. ⁹Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this, ¹⁰In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind? ¹¹Doth not the ear try words, Even as the palate tasteth its food? ¹²With aged men is wisdom, And in length of days understanding. ¹³With God is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding. ¹⁴Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. ¹⁵Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. ¹⁶With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his. ¹⁷He leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools. ¹⁸He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle. ¹⁹He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty. ²⁰He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders. ²¹He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong. ²²He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth out to light the shadow of death. ²³He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive. ²⁴He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. ²⁵They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

13 Job 13

¹Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, Mine ear hath heard and understood it. ²What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. ³Surely I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God. ⁴But ye are forgers of lies; Ye are all physicians of no value. ⁵Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom. ⁶Hear now my reasoning, And hearken to the pleadings of my lips. ⁷Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him? ⁸Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God? ⁹Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceiveth a man, will ye deceive him? ¹⁰He will surely reprove you If ye do secretly show partiality. ¹¹Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall upon you? ¹²Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defences are defences of clay. ¹³Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak; And let come on me what will. ¹⁴Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand? ¹⁵Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him. ¹⁶This also shall be my salvation, That a godless man shall not come before him. ¹⁷Hear diligently my speech, And let my declaration be in your ears. ¹⁸Behold now, I have set my cause in order; I know that I am righteous. ¹⁹Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost. ²⁰Only do not two things unto me; Then will I not hide myself from thy face: ²¹Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid. ²²Then call thou, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and answer thou me. ²³How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin. ²⁴Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And holdest me for thine enemy? ²⁵Wilt thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? ²⁶For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth: ²⁷Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, And markest all my paths; Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet: ²⁸Though I am like a rotten thing that consumeth, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.