Job 12:13–25

“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.

If he withholds the waters, they dry up;

if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.

With him are strength and sound wisdom;

the deceived and the deceiver are his.

He leads counselors away stripped,

and judges he makes fools.

He looses the bonds of kings

and binds a waistcloth on their hips.

He leads priests away stripped

and overthrows the mighty.

He deprives of speech those who are trusted

and takes away the discernment of the elders.

He pours contempt on princes

and loosens the belt of the strong.

He uncovers the deeps out of darkness

and brings deep darkness to light.

He makes nations great, and he destroys them;

he enlarges nations, and leads them away.

He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth

and makes them wander in a trackless waste.

They grope in the dark without light,

and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.

“To God belong wisdom and power;

counsel and understanding are his.

What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;

those he imprisons cannot be released.

If he holds back the waters, there is drought;

if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.

To him belong strength and insight;

both deceived and deceiver are his.

He leads rulers away stripped

and makes fools of judges.

He takes off the shackles put on by kings

and ties a loincloth around their waist.

He leads priests away stripped

and overthrows officials long established.

He silences the lips of trusted advisers

and takes away the discernment of elders.

He pours contempt on nobles

and disarms the mighty.

He reveals the deep things of darkness

and brings utter darkness into the light.

He makes nations great, and destroys them;

he enlarges nations, and disperses them.

He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;

he makes them wander in a trackless waste.

They grope in darkness with no light;

he makes them stagger like drunkards.

Wisdom and strength belong to God;

counsel and understanding are his.

Whatever he tears down cannot be rebuilt;

whoever he imprisons cannot be released.

When he withholds water, everything dries up,

and when he releases it, it destroys the land.

True wisdom and power belong to him.

The deceived and the deceiver are his.

He leads counselors away barefoot

and makes judges go mad.

He releases the bonds put on by kings

and fastens a belt around their waists.

He leads priests away barefoot

and overthrows established leaders.

He deprives trusted advisers of speech

and takes away the elders’ good judgment.

He pours out contempt on nobles

and disarms the strong.

He reveals mysteries from the darkness

and brings the deepest darkness into the light.

He makes nations great, then destroys them;

he enlarges nations, then leads them away.

He deprives the world’s leaders of reason,

and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.

They grope around in darkness without light;

he makes them stagger like a drunkard.

“But true wisdom and power are found in God;

counsel and understanding are his.

What he destroys cannot be rebuilt.

When he puts someone in prison, there is no escape.

If he holds back the rain, the earth becomes a desert.

If he releases the waters, they flood the earth.

Yes, strength and wisdom are his;

deceivers and deceived are both in his power.

He leads counselors away, stripped of good judgment;

wise judges become fools.

He removes the royal robe of kings.

They are led away with ropes around their waist.

He leads priests away, stripped of status;

he overthrows those with long years in power.

He silences the trusted adviser

and removes the insight of the elders.

He pours disgrace upon princes

and disarms the strong.

“He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness;

he brings light to the deepest gloom.

He builds up nations, and he destroys them.

He expands nations, and he abandons them.

He strips kings of understanding

and leaves them wandering in a pathless wasteland.

They grope in the darkness without a light.

He makes them stagger like drunkards.

“With him are wisdom and powerful deeds,

and to him belong counsel and understanding.

If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt;

if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed.

Look, if he withholds the water, then they dry up;

and if he sends them out, then they overwhelm the land.

“Strength and sound wisdom are with him;

the deceived and the deceiver are his.

He leads counselors away stripped,

and he makes fools of judges.

He loosens the fetters of kings,

and he binds a loincloth on their loins.

He leads priests away stripped,

and he overthrows the members of ancient families.

He deprives the trustworthy of speech,

and he takes away the discretion of elders.

He pours contempt on noblemen,

and he loosens the girdle of the mighty.

“He uncovers mysteries out of darkness,

and he brings deep shadow to the light.

He makes the nations great, then he destroys them;

he expands the nations, then he guides them.

He strips away the insight of the heads of the earth’s people,

and he makes them wander in a pathless wasteland.

They grope in the dark without light,

and he makes them stagger like a drunkard.

With him is wisdom and strength,

He hath counsel and understanding.

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again:

He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up:

Also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

With him is strength and wisdom:

The deceived and the deceiver are his.

He leadeth counsellers away spoiled,

And maketh the judges fools.

He looseth the bond of kings,

And girdeth their loins with a girdle.

He leadeth princes away spoiled,

And overthroweth the mighty.

He removeth away the speech of the trusty,

And taketh away the understanding of the aged.

He poureth contempt upon princes,

And weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

He discovereth deep things out of darkness,

And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them:

He enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

He 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.

They grope in the dark without light,

And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.