| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Job answered: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2"Without a doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. | 2No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you! |
| 3I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? | 3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who doesn't know the things you are talking about? |
| 4I am a laughingstock to my friends, I, who called on God and whom he answered--a righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock! | 4I am a laughingstock to my friends, by calling on God, who answers me. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. |
| 5For calamity, there is derision (according to the ideas of the fortunate)--a fate for those whose feet slip! | 5The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping. |
| 6But the tents of robbers are peaceful, and those who provoke God are confident--who carry their god in their hands. | 6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure; God's power provides this. |
| 7"But now, ask the animals and they will teach you, or the birds of the sky and they will tell you. | 7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. |
| 8Or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea declare to you. | 8Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you; let the fish of the sea inform you. |
| 9Which of 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 whose hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all the human race. | 10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind. |
| 11Does not the ear test words, as the tongue tastes food? | 11Doesn't the ear test words as the palate tastes food? |
| 12Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? | 12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. |
| 13"With God are wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. | 13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His. |
| 14If he tears down, it cannot be rebuilt; if he imprisons a person, there is no escape. | 14Whatever He tears down cannot be rebuilt; whoever He imprisons cannot be released. |
| 15If he holds back the waters, then they dry up; if he releases them, they destroy the land. | 15When He withholds the waters, everything dries up, and when He releases them, they destroy the land. |
| 16With him are strength and prudence; both the one who goes astray and the one who misleads are his. | 16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. |
| 17He leads counselors away stripped and makes judges into fools. | 17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes judges go mad. |
| 18He loosens the bonds of kings and binds a loincloth around their waist. | 18He releases the bonds put on by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. |
| 19He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the potentates. | 19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows established leaders. |
| 20He deprives the trusted advisers of speech and takes away the discernment of elders. | 20He deprives trusted advisers of speech and takes away the elders' good judgment. |
| 21He pours contempt on noblemen and disarms the powerful. | 21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the strong. |
| 22He reveals the deep things of darkness, and brings deep shadows into the light. | 22He reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deepest darkness into the light. |
| 23He makes nations great, and destroys them; he extends the boundaries of nations and disperses them. | 23He makes nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges nations, then leads them away. |
| 24He deprives the leaders of the earth of their understanding; he makes them wander in a trackless desert waste. | 24He deprives the world's leaders of reason, and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. |
| 25They grope about in darkness without light; he makes them stagger like drunkards. | 25They grope around in darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunken men. |
|
    |