Job 12:12
New International Version
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?

New Living Translation
Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.

English Standard Version
Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.

Berean Standard Bible
Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.

King James Bible
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

New King James Version
Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.

New American Standard Bible
“Wisdom is with the aged, And with long life comes understanding.

NASB 1995
“Wisdom is with aged men, With long life is understanding.

NASB 1977
“Wisdom is with aged men, With long life is understanding.

Legacy Standard Bible
Wisdom is with aged men, With long life is discernment.

Amplified Bible
“With the aged [you say] is wisdom, And with long life is understanding.

Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.

American Standard Version
With aged men is wisdom, And in length of days understanding.

Contemporary English Version
and gain some wisdom from those who have lived a long time.

English Revised Version
With aged men is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Wisdom is with the ancient one. The one who has had many days has insight.

International Standard Version
"Wisdom may be found in the company of the aged. Understanding comes with longevity.

Majority Standard Bible
Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.

NET Bible
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?

New Heart English Bible
With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.

Webster's Bible Translation
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

World English Bible
With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
With the very aged [is] wisdom, "" And [with] length of days [is] understanding.

Young's Literal Translation
With the very aged is wisdom, And with length of days understanding.

Smith's Literal Translation
With old men is wisdom, and length of days, understanding.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
In the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days prudence.

Catholic Public Domain Version
In old age is wisdom, and in length of days is prudence.

New American Bible
So with old age is wisdom, and with length of days understanding.

New Revised Standard Version
Is wisdom with the aged, and understanding in length of days?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
With the elders is wisdom; and in length of days, understanding.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And in the elders is wisdom and in length of days is discernment
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Is wisdom with aged men, And understanding in length of days?--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job Responds to Zophar
11Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food? 12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. 13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.…

Cross References
Proverbs 16:31
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.

Proverbs 20:29
The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.

Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!

James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Proverbs 3:13-18
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding, / for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold. / She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her. ...

Ecclesiastes 1:13-18
And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a miserable task God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them! / I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. / What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted. ...

1 Corinthians 1:25
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.

Colossians 2:2-3
that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, / in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Daniel 2:20-21
and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. / He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

1 Kings 3:12
behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been another like you, nor will there ever be.

Ephesians 1:17-18
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him. / I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,

Psalm 90:12
So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.

Isaiah 46:9-10
Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. / I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’

Romans 11:33
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!


Treasury of Scripture

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

Job 8:8
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

Job 15:10
With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

Job 32:7
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

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Job 12
1. Job maintains himself against his friends that reprove him
7. He acknowledges the doctrine of God's omnipotence














Wisdom
The Hebrew word for "wisdom" is "חָכְמָה" (chokmah), which encompasses not only knowledge but also the skillful application of knowledge in life. In the biblical context, wisdom is often associated with a deep reverence for God and an understanding of His ways. Proverbs 9:10 states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." This suggests that true wisdom is rooted in a relationship with God, and it is a gift that He bestows upon those who seek Him earnestly.

is found
The phrase "is found" implies a discovery or a realization. In the context of this verse, it suggests that wisdom is not something that is automatically possessed but rather something that is acquired over time. It is a treasure that one must seek diligently, often through life experiences and a continual pursuit of God's truth.

with the elderly
The term "elderly" refers to those who have lived many years and have accumulated life experiences. In ancient cultures, including the Hebrew culture, the elderly were revered for their knowledge and experience. They were often seen as the custodians of wisdom, having lived through various trials and learned from them. This respect for the elderly is echoed in Leviticus 19:32, which instructs, "You are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God."

and understanding
The Hebrew word for "understanding" is "תְּבוּנָה" (tevunah), which refers to insight or discernment. Understanding goes beyond mere knowledge; it involves the ability to perceive the deeper meaning of things and to make sound judgments. In the biblical sense, understanding is closely linked to wisdom and is seen as a gift from God, as highlighted in Proverbs 2:6, "For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

comes with long life
The phrase "comes with long life" suggests that understanding is a result of prolonged experience and reflection. It implies that as one lives through various seasons of life, they gain a deeper comprehension of God's ways and the complexities of human existence. This aligns with the biblical principle that life experiences, especially those that involve trials and perseverance, contribute to spiritual maturity and insight, as seen in James 1:2-4, which speaks of trials producing perseverance and maturity.

Verse 12. - With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. Men get their wisdom gradually and painfully by much experience during a long stretch of time, so that it is not until they are" ancient" that we can call them wise or credit them with "understanding." But with God the case is wholly different.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Wisdom
חָכְמָ֑ה (ḥāḵ·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2451: Wisdom

is found with the elderly,
בִּֽישִׁישִׁ֥ים (bî·šî·šîm)
Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 3453: An old man

and understanding
תְּבוּנָֽה׃ (tə·ḇū·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8394: Intelligence, an argument, caprice

comes with long
וְאֹ֖רֶךְ (wə·’ō·reḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 753: Length

life.
יָמִ֣ים (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day


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OT Poetry: Job 12:12 With aged men is wisdom in length (Jb)
Job 12:11
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