1And Job answered and said:
2Truly indeed, you are the people, and with you wisdom shall die.
3I too have a heart like you; I am not inferior to you; and with whom are there not such things as these?
4A laughing-stock to his neighbor I am — one who calls to Eloah, and he answered him; a laughing-stock is the righteous, the blameless.
5A contemptible torch in the thought of one at ease, ready for those whose foot slips.
6The tents of robbers are at ease, and those who provoke God are secure, to whoever Eloah has brought into his hand.
7But ask now the beasts, and they will teach you; and the bird of the heavens, and it will tell you;
8or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will recount to you.
9Who does not know among all these, that the hand of YHWH has made this?
10In whose hand is the soul (nephesh) of every living thing (chai), and the spirit (ruach) of all the flesh (basar) of man (ish).
11Does not the ear test words, as the palate tastes its food?
12With aged ones is wisdom, and length of days is understanding.
13With him is wisdom and might; his are counsel and understanding.
14Behold, he breaks down, and it is not built; he shuts upon a man (ish), and it is not opened.
15Behold, he holds back the waters, and they dry up; and he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16With him is strength and sound wisdom; his are the one led astray and the one leading astray.
17He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools.
18He loosens the bond of kings, and binds a girdle upon their loins.
19He leads priests away stripped, and the mighty he overthrows.
20He removes the speech of the trusted ones, and the discernment of elders he takes away.
21He pours contempt upon nobles, and the girdle of the strong he loosens.
22He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23He makes the nations great, and destroys them; he spreads out the nations, and leads them away.
24He removes the heart of the heads of the people of the land, and makes them wander in a waste without a way.
25They grope in darkness and not light, and he makes them wander like a drunken man.