1 And Job made answer and said,

2 No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.

3 But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?

4 It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!

5 In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

6 There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.

7 But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;

8 Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.

9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?

10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.

11 Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?

12 Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.

13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.

14 Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.

15 Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.

16 With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;

17 He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;

18 He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;

19 He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;

20 He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;

21 He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;

22 Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;

23 Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.

24 He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.

25 They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.

1 Então Jó respondeu, dizendo:

2 Sem dúvida vós sois o povo, e convosco morrerá a sabedoria.

3 Mas eu tenho entendimento como, vos; eu não vos sou inferior. Quem não sabe tais coisas como essas?

4 Sou motivo de riso para os meus amigos; eu, que invocava a Deus, e ele me respondia: o justo e reto servindo de irrisão!

5 No pensamento de quem está seguro há desprezo para a desgraça; ela está preparada para aquele cujos pés resvalam.

6 As tendas dos assoladores têm descanso, e os que provocam a Deus estão seguros; os que trazem o seu deus na mão!

7 Mas, pergunta agora às alimárias, e elas te ensinarão; e às aves do céu, e elas te farão saber;

8 ou fala com a terra, e ela te ensinará; até os peixes o mar to declararão.

9 Qual dentre todas estas coisas não sabe que a mão do Senhor fez isto?

10 Na sua mão está a vida de todo ser vivente, e o espírito de todo o gênero humano.

11 Porventura o ouvido não prova as palavras, como o paladar prova o alimento?

12 Com os anciãos está a sabedoria, e na longura de dias o entendimento.

13 Com Deus está a sabedoria e a força; ele tem conselho e entendimento.

14 Eis que ele derriba, e não se pode reedificar; ele encerra na prisão, e não se pode abrir.

15 Ele retém as águas, e elas secam; solta-as, e elas inundam a terra.

16 Com ele está a força e a sabedoria; são dele o enganado e o enganador.

17 Aos conselheiros leva despojados, e aos juízes faz desvairar.

18 Solta o cinto dos reis, e lhes ata uma corda aos lombos.

19 Aos sacerdotes leva despojados, e aos poderosos transtorna.

20 Aos que são dignos da confiança emudece, e tira aos anciãos o discernimento.

21 Derrama desprezo sobre os príncipes, e afrouxa o cinto dos fortes.

22 Das trevas descobre coisas profundas, e traz para a luz a sombra da morte.

23 Multiplica as nações e as faz perecer; alarga as fronteiras das nações, e as leva cativas.

24 Tira o entendimento aos chefes do povo da terra, e os faz vaguear pelos desertos, sem caminho.

25 Eles andam nas trevas às apalpadelas, sem luz, e ele os faz cambalear como um ébrio.