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1 And Job answered and said,
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2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
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3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
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4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
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5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
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6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
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7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
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8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
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9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
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10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
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11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
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12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
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13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
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14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
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15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
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16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
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17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
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18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
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19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
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20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
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21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
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22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
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23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
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24 He 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.
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25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
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- 1 Then Job responded,
- 2 “Truly then you are the people, And with you wisdom will die!
- 3 “But I have intelligence as well as you; I am not inferior to you. And who does not know such things as these?
- 4 “I am a joke to my friends, The one who called on God and He answered him; The just and blameless man is a joke.
- 5 “He who is at ease holds calamity in contempt, As prepared for those whose feet slip.
- 6 “The tents of the destroyers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure, Whom God brings into their power.
- 7 “But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you.
- 8 “Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you.
- 9 “Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this,
- 10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?
- 11 “Does not the ear test words, As the palate tastes its food?
- 12 “Wisdom is with aged men, With long life is understanding.
- 13 “With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding.
- 14 “Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt; He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
- 15 “Behold, He restrains the waters, and they dry up; And He sends them out, and they inundate the earth.
- 16 “With Him are strength and sound wisdom, The misled and the misleader belong to Him.
- 17 “He makes counselors walk barefoot And makes fools of judges.
- 18 “He loosens the bond of kings And binds their loins with a girdle.
- 19 “He makes priests walk barefoot And overthrows the secure ones.
- 20 “He deprives the trusted ones of speech And takes away the discernment of the elders.
- 21 “He pours contempt on nobles And loosens the belt of the strong.
- 22 “He reveals mysteries from the darkness And brings the deep darkness into light.
- 23 “He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away.
- 24 “He deprives of intelligence the chiefs of the earth's people And makes them wander in a pathless waste.
- 25 “They grope in darkness with no light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
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