| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2“No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. | 2"Without a 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? | 3I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? |
| 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, I, who called on God and whom he answered--a righteous and blameless 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. | 5For calamity, there is derision (according to the ideas of the fortunate)--a fate for those whose feet slip! |
| 6The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hand. | 6But the tents of robbers are peaceful, and those who provoke God are confident--who carry their god in their hands. |
| 7“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; | 7"But now, ask the animals and they will teach you, or 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 teach you, or let the fish of the sea declare to 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. | 10in whose hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all the human race. |
| 11Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food? | 11Does not the ear test words, as the tongue tastes food? |
| 12Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. | 12Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? |
| 13“With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. | 13"With God are wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. |
| 14If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. | 14If he tears down, it cannot be rebuilt; if he imprisons a person, there is no escape. |
| 15If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. | 15If he holds back the waters, then they dry up; if he releases them, they destroy the land. |
| 16With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. | 16With him are strength and prudence; both the one who goes astray and the one who misleads are his. |
| 17He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools. | 17He leads counselors away stripped and makes judges into fools. |
| 18He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips. | 18He loosens the bonds of kings and binds a loincloth around their waist. |
| 19He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. | 19He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the potentates. |
| 20He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders. | 20He deprives the trusted advisers of speech and takes away the discernment of elders. |
| 21He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong. | 21He pours contempt on noblemen and disarms the powerful. |
| 22He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. | 22He reveals the deep things of darkness, and brings deep shadows into the light. |
| 23He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away. | 23He makes nations great, and destroys them; he extends the boundaries of nations and disperses them. |
| 24He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a trackless waste. | 24He deprives the leaders of the earth of their understanding; he makes them wander in a trackless desert waste. |
| 25They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man. | 25They grope about in darkness without light; he makes them stagger like drunkards. |
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