And Iyyov answered and said,

Then Iyyov raised his voice and said:

No doubt but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

True, you are the people [and its princes] and wisdom will perish with you.

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yea, who knows not such things as these?

[But] I, too, have a heart as you do. I am not lesser than you; and who does not [know these things just] as these [i.e., just as you do]?

I am as one who is become a laughing stock to his friend; that called upon God and he answered him; the just, the innocent man is a laughing stock.

I am [one] who has become a laughingstock to his friend, and calls out to G d, who answers him [(that in return for this He will give him)] the true laughter of the righteous one.

Contempt is ready in the thought of him that is at ease, for those that are ruined, that slip with their feet.

[(And I also know, just as you, that)] the torch of [the] shame [of Gehinnom awaits] him who is at ease in [his] thoughts, [saying: "I shall be at peace," and that] he is prepared [to join the ranks of] "those whose foot slips."

The tents of robbers prosper, and they who provoke God are secure; they who bring their God in their hand.

[(And I also know, just as you, that for many days [until their ultimate destruction])] the tents of robbers are at peace, and those who anger G d dwell secure, [and that with all] that G d has brought [to the evildoer, the "hour" plays into] his hand.

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the birds of the sky, and they shall tell thee:

Ask [even] the beasts and they will teach [these things to] you, and the birds of heaven will tell you.

or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee.

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will tell you.

Who knows not among all these that the hand of the Lord has done this;

Who would not know by all these that the hand of the L rd has wrought this?

in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?

That in His hand is the spirit of all living things and the spirit of all mortal flesh?

Does not the ear try words as the palate tastes food?

Will not the ear [which hears what He has wrought] not discern [the implications of these] words just as the palate tastes food?

With aged men is wisdom; and length of days brings understanding.

There is wisdom in the old and understanding in the long-lived

With him is wisdom and might, he has counsel and understanding.

[to know that] with Him is wisdom and strength; with Him is counsel and understanding.

Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again: he shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.

When He destroys, none can rebuild. When He imprisons a man, none can free him.

Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up: then he sends them out, and they overwhelm the earth.

When He holds back the waters, the land is dry; when He sends them forth [(as He did in the generation of Enosh, when He flooded a third of the world)], they overturn the earth.

With him is strength and sound wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

He is the source of strength and weakness. His is the strayer and the one who causes [men] to stray [i.e., the Satan].

He leads counsellors away bereft of counsel, and makes judges fools.

He leads counselors into folly and makes judges foolish.

He looses the bond of kings, and binds their loins with a girdle.

He unties the bonds of kings [e.g., Nevuchadnezzar] just as He buckles the belt on their thighs [(to "gird" them into kingship)].

He leads priests away bereft of dignity, and overthrows the mighty.

He leads princes away with folly and twists the mighty.

He removes the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged.

He [sometimes] removes speech [even] from the faithful [(viz., e.g., Genesis 15:6, followed by 8] and takes the acumen of the elders.

He pours contempt upon princes, and weakens the belt of the mighty.

He spills contempt upon the lordly and loosens the buckler of the mighty.

He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.

He reveals [to man] what is profounder than darkness and brings shadows to light.

He makes nations great and destroys them: he disperses nations, and guides them.

He raises nations and destroys them [(through their pride)], spreads nations out [(over the earth)] and leads them [(into exile)].

He takes away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

He removes the wisdom of the leaders of the people, and they lead them into a void that is not a path.

They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.

They feel in the darkness and not in light and He leads them astray as drunkards.