| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2“No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you! | 2“Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die! |
| 3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know such things as these? | 3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? |
| 4“I am one mocked by his friends, Who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed. | 4I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. |
| 5A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease; It is made ready for those whose feet slip. | 5The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. |
| 6The tents of robbers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure— In what God provides by His hand. | 6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure—those who carry their god in their hands. |
| 7“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; | 7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you. |
| 8Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you. | 8Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you. |
| 9Who among 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 living thing, And the breath of all mankind? | 10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind. |
| 11Does not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food? | 11Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food? |
| 12Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding. | 12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. |
| 13“With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding. | 13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His. |
| 14If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release. | 14What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released. |
| 15If He withholds the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth. | 15If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land. |
| 16With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His. | 16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. |
| 17He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges. | 17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges. |
| 18He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt. | 18He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. |
| 19He leads princes away plundered, And overthrows the mighty. | 19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established. |
| 20He deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders. | 20He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders. |
| 21He pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty. | 21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty. |
| 22He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light. | 22He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light. |
| 23He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them. | 23He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them. |
| 24He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness. | 24He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. |
| 25They grope in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man. | 25They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards. |
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