Job's Response to Zophar

1And Job answereth and saith: —

2Truly — ye [are] the people, And with you doth wisdom die.

3I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?

4A laughter to his friend I am: ‘He calleth to God, and He answereth him,’ A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.

5A torch — despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.

6At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.

7And yet, ask, I pray thee, [One of] the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.

8Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

9‘Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?

10In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.’

11Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

12With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days understanding.

13With Him [are] wisdom and might, To him [are] counsel and understanding.

14Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.

15Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.

16With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

17Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

18The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.

19Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

20Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.

21Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.

22Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.

23Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.

24Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy — no way!

25They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.