1. And Job answered and said,

2. No doubt but ye {are} the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

3. But I have understanding as well as you; I {am} not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? {understanding: Heb. an heart} {I am...: Heb. I fall not lower than you} {who...: Heb. with whom are not such as these?}

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.

5. He that is ready to slip with {his} feet {is as} a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

6. The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth {abundantly}.

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

8. Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

9. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

10. In whose hand {is} the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. {soul: or, life} {all...: Heb. all flesh of man}

11. Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? {mouth: Heb. palate}

12. With the ancient {is} wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

13. With him {is} wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. {With...: that is, With God}

14. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. {up: Heb. upon}

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

16. With him {is} strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver {are} his.

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

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

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

20. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. {speech...: Heb. lip of the faithful}

21. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. {weakeneth...: or, looseth the girdle of the strong}

22. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23. He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them {again}. {straiteneth: Heb. leadeth in}

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.

25. They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like {a} drunken {man}. {stagger: Heb. wander}