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Job Talks

¹ Then Job answered, ² "No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. ³ But I have understanding as well as you. I am not less than you. Who does not know such things as these? ⁴ Even my friends laugh at me. The man who called on God, and God answered him, the man who is right and without blame is laughed at. ⁵ He who lives in comfort laughs at one who has trouble and whose feet are slipping. ⁶ The tents of those who destroy have much. Those who make God angry are safe and have their god in their own hands.

⁷ "But ask the wild animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. ⁸ Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you. Let the fish of the sea make it known to you. ⁹ Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? ¹⁰ In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all men. ¹¹ Does not the ear test words as the mouth tastes food? ¹² Wisdom is with old men, and understanding with long life.

¹³ "With God are wisdom and strength. Wise words and understanding belong to Him. ¹⁴ See, He tears down, and it cannot be built again. He puts a man in prison, and no one can free him. ¹⁵ See, He stops the waters and they dry up. He sends them out, and they cover the earth. ¹⁶ Strength and wisdom are with Him. Both the fool and the one who fools him belong to God. ¹⁷ He takes wisdom away from leaders and makes fools of judges. ¹⁸ He takes off chains put on by kings, and holds back the power of kings. ¹⁹ He makes religious leaders walk without pride, and takes the power away from those who think they are safe. ²⁰ He stops the trusted ones from speaking and takes away the wisdom of the leaders. ²¹ He pours anger on rulers, and takes away the strength of the strong. ²² He makes known hidden truth from the darkness, and brings deep darkness to light. ²³ He makes the nations great, and then destroys them. He helps nations to become large, then leads them away. ²⁴ He takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth, and makes them travel in a waste-land with no path. ²⁵ They feel their way in darkness with no light. And He makes them walk from side to side like a drunk man.