| King James Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1And Job answered and said, | 1Then Job spoke again: |
| 2No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. | 2“You people really know everything, don’t you? And when you die, wisdom will die with you! |
| 3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? | 3Well, I know a few things myself— and you’re no better than I am. Who doesn’t know these things you’ve been saying? |
| 4I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. | 4Yet my friends laugh at me, for I call on God and expect an answer. I am a just and blameless man, yet they laugh at me. |
| 5He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. | 5People who are at ease mock those in trouble. They give a push to people who are stumbling. |
| 6The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. | 6But robbers are left in peace, and those who provoke God live in safety— though God keeps them in his power. |
| 7But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: | 7“Just ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. |
| 8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. | 8Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you. |
| 9Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? | 9For they all know that my disaster has come from the hand of the LORD. |
| 10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. | 10For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being. |
| 11Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? | 11The ear tests the words it hears just as the mouth distinguishes between foods. |
| 12With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. | 12Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old. |
| 13With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. | 13“But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his. |
| 14Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. | 14What he destroys cannot be rebuilt. When he puts someone in prison, there is no escape. |
| 15Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. | 15If he holds back the rain, the earth becomes a desert. If he releases the waters, they flood the earth. |
| 16With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. | 16Yes, strength and wisdom are his; deceivers and deceived are both in his power. |
| 17He leadeth counsellers away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. | 17He leads counselors away, stripped of good judgment; wise judges become fools. |
| 18He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. | 18He removes the royal robe of kings. They are led away with ropes around their waist. |
| 19He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. | 19He leads priests away, stripped of status; he overthrows those with long years in power. |
| 20He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. | 20He silences the trusted adviser and removes the insight of the elders. |
| 21He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. | 21He pours disgrace upon princes and disarms the strong. |
| 22He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. | 22“He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness; he brings light to the deepest gloom. |
| 23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. | 23He builds up nations, and he destroys them. He expands nations, and he abandons them. |
| 24He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. | 24He strips kings of understanding and leaves them wandering in a pathless wasteland. |
| 25They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. | 25They grope in the darkness without a light. He makes them stagger like drunkards. |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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