| Holman Christian Standard Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then Job answered: | 1Then Job replied: |
| 2No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you! | 2"Doubtless you are the only people who matter, and wisdom will die with you! |
| 3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who doesn't know the things you are talking about? | 3But I have a mind as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know all these things? |
| 4I am a laughingstock to my friends, by calling on God, who answers me. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. | 4"I have become a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God and he answered-- a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless! |
| 5The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping. | 5Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. |
| 6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure; God's power provides this. | 6The tents of marauders are undisturbed, and those who provoke God are secure-- those God has in his hand. |
| 7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. | 7"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; |
| 8Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you; let the fish of the sea inform you. | 8or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in 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? |
| 10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind. | 10In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. |
| 11Doesn't the ear test words as the palate tastes food? | 11Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food? |
| 12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. | 12Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? |
| 13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His. | 13"To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. |
| 14Whatever He tears down cannot be rebuilt; whoever He imprisons cannot be released. | 14What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; those he imprisons cannot be released. |
| 15When He withholds the waters, everything dries up, and when He releases them, they destroy the land. | 15If he holds back the waters, there is drought; if he lets them loose, they devastate the land. |
| 16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. | 16To him belong strength and insight; both deceived and deceiver are his. |
| 17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes judges go mad. | 17He leads rulers away stripped and makes fools of judges. |
| 18He releases the bonds put on by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. | 18He takes off the shackles put on by kings and ties a loincloth around their waist. |
| 19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows established leaders. | 19He leads priests away stripped and overthrows officials long established. |
| 20He deprives trusted advisers of speech and takes away the elders' good judgment. | 20He silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the discernment of elders. |
| 21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the strong. | 21He pours contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty. |
| 22He reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deepest darkness into the light. | 22He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light. |
| 23He makes nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges nations, then leads them away. | 23He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them. |
| 24He deprives the world's leaders of reason, and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. | 24He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; he makes them wander in a trackless waste. |
| 25They grope around in darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunken men. | 25They grope in darkness with no light; he makes them stagger like drunkards. |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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