Job 12

ISV^{(i) 1} Job Responds to ZopharIn response Job replied: ² “Truly, you are the people and wisdom will die with you! ³ Like you, I also have understanding. I’m not inferior to you; who doesn’t know things like this?”
⁴ Job Has Become a Laughingstock“I’m a laughingstock to my friends, someone who called on God. But then he answered this upright and blameless man, and I have become a laughingstock. ⁵ The carefree are thinking, ‘I have contempt for misfortune,’
Those who are about to stumble deserve it. ⁶ The tents of robbers are at rest, and those who provoke God are secure, that is, those who carry their god in their pocket.
⁷ Wisdom Can Be Found in God’s Creation“Ask the wild animals, and they’ll teach you; the birds of the sky will tell you. ⁸ Or ask the green plants of the earth and they’ll teach you; let the fish in the sea tell you. ⁹ Who among all of these doesn’t know that the LORD’s hand made them, ¹⁰ and that the life of every living thing rests in his control, along with the breath of every living human being? ¹¹ The ear scrutinizes speech just as the palate tastes food.”
¹² God is the All-Wise and All-Powerful Creator“Wisdom may be found in the company of the aged. Understanding comes with longevity. ¹³ With God is wisdom and strength; counsel and understanding belongs to him. ¹⁴ When he tears down, nobody rebuilds; when he incarcerates, nobody escapes. ¹⁵ When he withholds water, rivers dry up; when he lets them loose, they’ll flood the land. ¹⁶ “With God are strength and sound wisdom; both the deceived and those who deceive are responsible to him. ¹⁷ He leads counselors away naked; he turns judges into fools. ¹⁸ He strips away the authority of kings to punish and puts them in prison clothes instead. ¹⁹ He leads away the priests naked and overthrows the ruling class. ²⁰ He keeps reliable advisors from speaking, and removes discernment from elders. ²¹ He pours contempt on nobles and embarrasses the mighty. ²² He uncovers the hidden dimensions from darkness, bringing what is in deep shadow to light. ²³ He makes nations great, and then destroys them; he enlarges nations, but then sends them away to captivity. ²⁴ He withdraws understanding from national leaders of the world, causing them to wander through uncharted wilderness. ²⁵ They grope in the dark without light; he causes them to stagger around like a drunkard.”