¶ And Job answered and said,

No doubt but ye are the people¹, and wisdom shall die with you.

But I have² understanding³ as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

I am as one mocked⁴ of his neighbour, who calleth⁵ upon God, and he answereth him: the just⁶ upright man is laughed to scorn.

He that is ready⁷ to slip with his feet is as a lamp⁸ despised in the thought of him⁹ that is at ease.

¶ The tabernacles¹⁰ of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

But ask¹¹ now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

Or speak¹² to the earth, and it shall teach¹³ thee: and the fishes¹⁴ of the sea shall declare¹⁵ unto thee.

Who¹⁶ knoweth not in all these that the hand¹⁷ of the LORD hath wrought this?

¶ In whose hand¹⁸ is the soul¹⁹ of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind²⁰.

Doth²¹ not the ear try words? and the mouth²² taste his meat?

¶²³With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

With him²⁴ is wisdom²⁵ and strength, he hath counsel²⁶ and understanding.

Behold, he breaketh²⁷ down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth²⁸ up²⁹ a man, and there can be no opening.

Behold,³⁰ he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth³¹ them out, and they overturn the earth.

With³² him is strength and wisdom: the deceived³³ and the deceiver are his.

³⁴He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

³⁵He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

³⁶He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

¶ He removeth away the speech of the trusty³⁷, and taketh³⁸ away the understanding of the aged.

He poureth³⁹ contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

He discovereth⁴¹ deep things out of darkness, and bringeth⁴² out to light the shadow of death.

He increaseth⁴³ the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again⁴⁴.

He taketh⁴⁵ away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth⁴⁶ them to wander in a wilderness⁴⁷ where there is no way.

They grope⁴⁸ in the dark without light, and he maketh⁴⁹ them to stagger⁵⁰ like a drunken man.