| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2“No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. | 2No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you! |
| 3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? | 3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who doesn't know the things you are talking about? |
| 4I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called to God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock. | 4I am a laughingstock to my friends, by calling on God, who answers me. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. |
| 5In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip. | 5The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping. |
| 6The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hand. | 6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure; God's power provides this. |
| 7“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; | 7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. |
| 8or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. | 8Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you; let the fish of the sea inform you. |
| 9Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? | 9Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? |
| 10In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. | 10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind. |
| 11Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food? | 11Doesn't the ear test words as the palate tastes food? |
| 12Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. | 12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. |
| 13“With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. | 13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His. |
| 14If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. | 14Whatever He tears down cannot be rebuilt; whoever He imprisons cannot be released. |
| 15If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. | 15When He withholds the waters, everything dries up, and when He releases them, they destroy the land. |
| 16With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. | 16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. |
| 17He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools. | 17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes judges go mad. |
| 18He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips. | 18He releases the bonds put on by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. |
| 19He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. | 19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows established leaders. |
| 20He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders. | 20He deprives trusted advisers of speech and takes away the elders' good judgment. |
| 21He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong. | 21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the strong. |
| 22He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. | 22He reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deepest darkness into the light. |
| 23He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away. | 23He makes nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges nations, then leads them away. |
| 24He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a trackless waste. | 24He deprives the world's leaders of reason, and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. |
| 25They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man. | 25They grope around in darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunken men. |
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