Knowledge of God’s Wisdom17

12:7 “But now, ask the animals and they18 will teach you,

or the birds of the sky and they will tell you.

12:8 Or speak19 to the earth20 and it will teach you,

or let the fish of the sea declare to you.

12:9 Which of all these21 does not know

that the hand of the Lord22 has done23 this,

12:10 in whose hand24 is the life25 of every creature

and the breath of all the human race.26

12:11 Does not the ear test words,

as27 the tongue28 tastes food?29

12:12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?30

Does not long life bring understanding?

12:13 “With God31 are wisdom and power;

counsel and understanding are his.32

12:14 If33 he tears down, it cannot be rebuilt;

if he imprisons a person, there is no escape.34

12:15 If he holds back the waters, then they dry up;35

if he releases them,36 they destroy37 the land.

12:16 With him are strength and prudence;38

both the one who goes astray39

and the one who misleads are his.

12:17 He40 leads41 counselors away stripped42

and makes judges43 into fools.44

12:18 He loosens45 the bonds46 of kings

and binds a loincloth47 around their waist.

12:19 He leads priests away stripped48

and overthrows49 the potentates.50

12:20 He deprives the trusted advisers51 of speech52

and takes away the discernment53 of elders.

12:21 He pours contempt on noblemen

and disarms54 the powerful.55

12:22 He reveals the deep things of darkness,

and brings deep shadows56 into the light.

12:23 He makes nations great,57 and destroys them;

he extends the boundaries of nations

and disperses58 them.59

12:24 He deprives the leaders of the earth60

of their understanding;61

he makes them wander

in a trackless desert waste.62

12:25 They grope about in darkness63 without light;

he makes them stagger64 like drunkards.