| Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Then Job answered: | 1In response Job replied: |
| 2No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you! | 2"Truly, you are the people and wisdom will die with you! |
| 3But I also have a mind like you; I am not inferior to you. Who doesn't know the things you are talking about? | 3Like you, I also have understanding. I'm not inferior to you; who doesn't know things like this?" |
| 4I am a laughingstock to my friends, by calling on God, who answers me. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. | 4"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. |
| 5The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping. | 5The carefree are thinking, 'I have contempt for misfortune,' Those who are about to stumble deserve it. |
| 6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who trouble God are secure; God holds them in his hands. | 6The tents of robbers are at rest, and those who provoke God are secure, that is, those who carry their god in their pocket. |
| 7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. | 7"Ask the wild animals, and they'll teach you; the birds of the sky will tell you. |
| 8Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you; let the fish of the sea inform you. | 8Or ask the green plants of the earth and they'll teach you; let the fish in the sea tell you. |
| 9Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? | 9Who among all of these doesn't know that the LORD's hand made them, |
| 10The life of every living thing is in his hand, as well as the breath of all mankind. | 10and that the life of every living thing rests in his control, along with the breath of every living human being? |
| 11Doesn't the ear test words as the palate tastes food? | 11The ear scrutinizes speech just as the palate tastes food." |
| 12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. | 12"Wisdom may be found in the company of the aged. Understanding comes with longevity. |
| 13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are his. | 13With God is wisdom and strength; counsel and understanding belongs to him. |
| 14Whatever he tears down cannot be rebuilt; whoever he imprisons cannot be released. | 14When he tears down, nobody rebuilds; when he incarcerates, nobody escapes. |
| 15When he withholds water, everything dries up, and when he releases it, it destroys the land. | 15When he withholds water, rivers dry up; when he lets them loose, they'll flood the land. |
| 16True wisdom and power belong to him. The deceived and the deceiver are his. | 16"With God are strength and sound wisdom; both the deceived and those who deceive are responsible to him. |
| 17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes judges go mad. | 17He leads counselors away naked; he turns judges into fools. |
| 18He releases the bonds put on by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. | 18He strips away the authority of kings to punish and puts them in prison clothes instead. |
| 19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows established leaders. | 19He leads away the priests naked and overthrows the ruling class. |
| 20He deprives trusted advisers of speech and takes away the elders' good judgment. | 20He keeps reliable advisors from speaking, and removes discernment from elders. |
| 21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the strong. | 21He pours contempt on nobles and embarrasses the mighty. |
| 22He reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deepest darkness into the light. | 22He uncovers the hidden dimensions from darkness, bringing what is in deep shadow to light. |
| 23He makes nations great, then destroys them; he enlarges nations, then leads them away. | 23He makes nations great, and then destroys them; he enlarges nations, but then sends them away to captivity. |
| 24He deprives the world's leaders of reason, and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. | 24He withdraws understanding from national leaders of the world, causing them to wander through uncharted wilderness. |
| 25They grope around in darkness without light; he makes them stagger like a drunkard. | 25They grope in the dark without light; he causes them to stagger around like a drunkard." |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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