ESV - Job Chapter 12 to 13

12 Job Replies: The Lord Has Done This

12:1 Then Job answered and said:

²“No 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. Who does not know such things as these? ⁴I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called to God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock. ⁵In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip. ⁶The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hand.^[1]

⁷“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; ⁸or the bushes of the earth,[2] and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. ⁹Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? ¹⁰In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. ¹¹Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food? ¹²Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.

¹³“With God[3] are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. ¹⁴If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. ¹⁵If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. ¹⁶With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. ¹⁷He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools. ¹⁸He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips. ¹⁹He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. ²⁰He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders. ²¹He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong. ²²He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. ²³He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away. ²⁴He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a pathless waste. ²⁵They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.

[1] The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [2] Or speak to the earth [3] Hebrew him

13 Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God

13:1 “Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. ²What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. ³But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God. ⁴As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all. ⁵Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom! ⁶Hear now my argument and listen to the pleadings of my lips. ⁷Will you speak falsely for God and speak deceitfully for him? ⁸Will you show partiality toward him? Will you plead the case for God? ⁹Will it be well with you when he searches you out? Or can you deceive him, as one deceives a man? ¹⁰He will surely rebuke you if in secret you show partiality. ¹¹Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you? ¹²Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.

¹³“Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may. ¹⁴Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand? ¹⁵Though he slay me, I will hope in him;[4] yet I will argue my ways to his face. ¹⁶This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him. ¹⁷Keep listening to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears. ¹⁸Behold, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be in the right. ¹⁹Who is there who will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die. ²⁰Only grant me two things, then I will not hide myself from your face: ²¹withdraw your hand far from me, and let not dread of you terrify me. ²²Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you reply to me. ²³How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. ²⁴Why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy? ²⁵Will you frighten a driven leaf and pursue dry chaff? ²⁶For you write bitter things against me and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. ²⁷You put my feet in the stocks and watch all my paths; you set a limit for[5] the soles of my feet. ²⁸Man[6] wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

[4] Or Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope [5] Or you marked [6] Hebrew He