1Then Iyov answered and said,
2“No doubt but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yes, who knows not such things as these?
4I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, a man that called upon Eloha, and He answered him; the just, the innocent man is a laughing-stock,
5A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease, a thing ready for them whose foot slips.
6The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, in whatsoever Eloha brings into their hand.
7But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you;
8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto you;
9Who knows not among all these, that the hand of יהוה has wrought this?
10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
11Does not the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?
12Is wisdom with aged men, and understanding in length of days?
13With Him is wisdom and might; He has counsel and understanding.
14Behold, He breaks down, and it cannot be built again; He shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.
15Behold, He withholds the waters, and they dry up; also He sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16With Him is strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.
17He leads counsellors away stripped, and judges He makes fools.
18He looses the bond of kings, and binds their loins with a girdle.
19He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
20He removes the speech of men of trust, and takes away the sense of the elders.
21He pours contempt upon princes, and looses the belt of the strong.
22He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light Tzal-Mavet.
23He increases the nations, and destroys them; He enlarges the nations, and leads them away.
24He 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.
25They grope in the dark without light, and He makes them to stagger like a drunken man.”
אוַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַר,
באָמְנָם כִּי אַתֶּם עָם; וְעִמָּכֶם תָּמוּת חָכְמָה.
גגַּם לִי לֵבָב כְּמוֹכֶם לֹא נֹפֵל אָנֹכִי מִכֶּם; וְאֶת מִי אֵין כְּמוֹ אֵלֶּה.
דשְׂחֹק לְרֵעֵהוּ אֶהְיֶה קֹרֵא לֶאֱלוֹהַּ וַיַּעֲנֵהוּ; שְׂחוֹק צַדִּיק תָּמִים.
הלַפִּיד בּוּז לְעַשְׁתּוּת שַׁאֲנָן נָכוֹן לְמוֹעֲדֵי רָגֶל.
ויִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהָלִים לְשֹׁדְדִים וּבַטֻּחוֹת לְמַרְגִּיזֵי אֵל לַאֲשֶׁר הֵבִיא אֱלוֹהַּ בְּיָדוֹ.
זוְאוּלָם שְׁאַל נָא בְהֵמוֹת וְתֹרֶךָּ; וְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְיַגֶּד לָךְ.
חאוֹ שִׂיחַ לָאָרֶץ וְתֹרֶךָּ; וִיסַפְּרוּ לְךָ דְּגֵי הַיָּם.
טמִי לֹא יָדַע בְּכָל אֵלֶּה: כִּי יַד יהוה עָשְׂתָה זֹּאת.
יאֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי; וְרוּחַ כָּל בְּשַׂר אִישׁ.
יאהֲלֹא אֹזֶן מִלִּין תִּבְחָן; וְחֵךְ אֹכֶל יִטְעַם לוֹ.
יבבִּישִׁישִׁים חָכְמָה; וְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים תְּבוּנָה.
יגעִמּוֹ חָכְמָה וּגְבוּרָה; לוֹ עֵצָה וּתְבוּנָה.
ידהֵן יַהֲרוֹס וְלֹא יִבָּנֶה; יִסְגֹּר עַל אִישׁ וְלֹא יִפָּתֵחַ.
טוהֵן יַעְצֹר בַּמַּיִם וְיִבָשׁוּ; וִישַׁלְּחֵם וְיַהַפְכוּ אָרֶץ.
טזעִמּוֹ עֹז וְתוּשִׁיָּה; לוֹ שֹׁגֵג וּמַשְׁגֶּה.
יזמוֹלִיךְ יוֹעֲצִים שׁוֹלָל; וְשֹׁפְטִים יְהוֹלֵל.
יחמוּסַר מְלָכִים פִּתֵּחַ; וַיֶּאְסֹר אֵזוֹר בְּמָתְנֵיהֶם.
יטמוֹלִיךְ כֹּהֲנִים שׁוֹלָל; וְאֵתָנִים יְסַלֵּף.
כמֵסִיר שָׂפָה לְנֶאֱמָנִים; וְטַעַם זְקֵנִים יִקָּח.
כאשׁוֹפֵךְ בּוּז עַל נְדִיבִים; וּמְזִיחַ אֲפִיקִים רִפָּה.
כבמְגַלֶּה עֲמֻקוֹת מִנִּי חֹשֶׁךְ; וַיֹּצֵא לָאוֹר צַלְמָוֶת.
כגמַשְׂגִּיא לַגּוֹיִם וַיְאַבְּדֵם; שֹׁטֵחַ לַגּוֹיִם וַיַּנְחֵם.
כדמֵסִיר לֵב רָאשֵׁי עַם הָאָרֶץ; וַיַּתְעֵם בְּתֹהוּ לֹא דָרֶךְ.
כהיְמַשְׁשׁוּ חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא אוֹר; וַיַּתְעֵם כַּשִּׁכּוֹר.