Wisdom and strength belong to God;
counsel and understanding are His.

Whatever He tears down cannot be rebuilt;
whoever He imprisons cannot be released.

He leads counselors away barefoot
and makes judges go mad.

True wisdom and power belong to Him.
The deceived and the deceiver are His.

When He withholds the waters, everything dries up,
and when He releases them, they destroy the land.

He reveals mysteries from the darkness
and brings the deepest darkness into the light.

He leads priests away barefoot
and overthrows established leaders.

He releases the bonds put on by kings
and fastens a belt around their waists.

He pours out contempt on nobles
and disarms the strong.

He deprives trusted advisers of speech
and takes away the elders’ good judgment.

They grope around in darkness without light;
He makes them stagger like drunken men.

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He deprives the world’s leaders of reason,
and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.

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

No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!

He makes nations great, then destroys them;
He enlarges nations, then leads them away.

Then Job answered:

I am a laughingstock to my friends,
by calling on God, who answers me.
The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.

Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?

Doesn’t the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?

The tents of robbers are safe,
and those who provoke God are secure;
God’s power provides this.

But I also have a mind;
I am not inferior to you.
Who doesn’t know the things you are talking about?

The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt
and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.

But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;
ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.

The life of every living thing is in His hand,
as well as the breath of all mankind.

Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;
let the fish of the sea inform you.