And Job answered and said,
No doubt but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yes, who knows not such things as these?
I am as one mocked of his neighbor, who calls on God, and he answers him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God brings abundantly.
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you:
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to you.
Who knows not in all these that the hand of the LORD has worked this?
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Does not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding.
Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again: he shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up: also he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
He leads counsellors away spoiled, and makes the judges fools.
He looses the bond of kings, and girds their loins with a girdle.
He leads princes away spoiled, and overthrows the mighty.
He removes away the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged.
He pours contempt on princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty.
He discovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
He increases the nations, and destroys them: he enlarges the nations, and straitens them again.
He takes away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them to stagger like a drunken man.
Canonical academic citations for Job 12 (AKJV) — copy in your preferred format.
Job 12 (AKJV). Prime Bible, accessed July 28, 2026. https://primebible.com/akjv/job/12.
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Job sarcastically agrees his friends have all wisdom, but he's not inferior to them. Points out that he who calls on God has become a laughingstock while robbers prosper. Declares all creation knows God's sovereign hand controls everything.
Extended poetic disputation on righteousness and suffering.
Job 12 is presented with the full Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and verse-by-verse cross-references on Prime Bible — a free, nonprofit Bible study platform.