"With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.

If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open.

He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools.

With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.

He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light.

He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty.

He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips.

He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong.

He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders.

They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.

He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a pathless waste.

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

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

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

Then Job answered and said:

I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called to God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.

Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?

The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hand.

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?

In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip.

"But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;

In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.