Job 12 אִיּוֹב פרק י״ב

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Job 12 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   וַיַּעַןand he answeredאִיּוֹבJobוַיֹּאמַר׃and said

   And Job answered and said,

2. 2

   אׇמְנָםverilyכִּיbecauseאַתֶּם־עָםyou are the peopleוְעִמָּכֶםand with youתָּמוּתshall dieחׇכְמָה׃wisdom

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

3. 3

   גַּם־לִיalso to meלֵבָבunderstandingכְּמוֹכֶםlike youלֹא־נֹפֵלI am not inferiorאָנֹכִיIמִכֶּםfrom youוְאֶת־מִי־אֵיןyea who knows notכְּמוֹ־אֵלֶּה׃like these

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

4. 4

   שְׂחֹקa laughingstockלְרֵעֵהוּto his neighborאֶהְיֶהI may beקֹרֵאwho callsלֶאֱלוֹהַּto Godוַיַּעֲנֵהוּand he answers himשְׂחוֹקa laughingstockצַדִּיקrighteousתָּמִים׃perfect

   I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

5. 5

   לַפִּידa lampבּוּזdespisedלְעַשְׁתּוּתto the thought ofשַׁאֲנָןone at easeנָכוֹןhe that is readyלְמוֹעֲדֵיto slip withרָגֶל׃a foot

   He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

6. 6

   יִשְׁלָיוּprosperאֹהָלִיםtentsלְשֹׁדְדִיםof robbersוּבַטֻּחוֹתand are secureלְמַרְגִּיזֵיthey that provokeאֵלGodלַאֲשֶׁרunto him whoהֵבִיאbroughtאֱלוֹהַּGodבְּיָדוֹ׃in his hand

   The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

7. 7

   וְאוּלָםneverthelessשְׁאַל־נָאask I prayבְהֵמוֹתthe beastsוְתֹרֶךָּso it may teach youוְעוֹףand birdsהַשָּׁמַיִםthe heavensוְיַגֶּד־לָךְ׃and they shall tell you

   But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

8. 8

   אוֹorשִׂיחַspeakלָאָרֶץto the groundוְתֹרֶךָּso it may teach youוִיסַפְּרוּand they may recountלְךָfor youדְּגֵיthe fish ofהַיָּם׃the sea

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

9. 9

   מִיwhoלֹא־יָדַעnot he knewבְּכׇל־אֵלֶּהin all theseכִּיthatיַד־יְהֹוָהhand of the LORDעָשְׂתָהdidזֹּאת׃this

   Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

10. 10

    אֲשֶׁרwhichבְּיָדוֹin his handנֶפֶשׁsoulכׇּל־חָיall aliveוְרוּחַand spirit ofכׇּל־בְּשַׂר־אִישׁ׃of all mankind

    In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

11. 11

    הֲלֹא־אֹזֶןis it not an earמִלִּיןwordsתִּבְחָןtryוְחֵךְand the mouthאֹכֶלfoodיִטְעַם־לוֹ׃taste his meat

    Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

12. 12

    בִּישִׁישִׁיםwith the ancientחׇכְמָהwisdomוְאֹרֶךְand length ofיָמִיםdaysתְּבוּנָה׃understanding

    With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

13. 13

    עִמּוֹwith himחׇכְמָהwisdomוּגְבוּרָהand mightלוֹto himעֵצָהcounselוּתְבוּנָה׃and understanding

    With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

14. 14

    הֵןbeholdיַהֲרוֹסhe breaks downוְלֹאand notיִבָּנֶהit cannot be built againיִסְגֹּרhe shutsעַל־אִישׁupon a manוְלֹאand notיִפָּתֵחַ׃it will be opened

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

15. 15

    הֵןbeholdיַעְצֹרhe withholdsבַּמַּיִםin the waterוְיִבָשׁוּso they may be dryוִישַׁלְּחֵםand he lets loose themוְיַהַפְכוּ־אָרֶץ׃and they overturn the earth

    Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

16. 16

    עִמּוֹwith himעֹזstrength ofוְתוּשִׁיָּהand sound wisdomלוֹto himשֹׁגֵגthe deceivedוּמַשְׁגֶּה׃and the deceiver

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

17. 17

    מוֹלִיךְleadingיוֹעֲצִיםcounselorsשׁוֹלָלspoiledוְשֹׁפְטִיםand judgesיְהוֹלֵל׃makes fools

    He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

18. 18

    מוּסַרthe discipline ofמְלָכִיםkingsפִּתֵּחַhe loosesוַיֶּאְסֹרand girdsאֵזוֹרthe girdle ofבְּמׇתְנֵיהֶם׃their loins

    He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

19. 19

    מוֹלִיךְleadingכֹּהֲנִיםprincesשׁוֹלָלspoiledוְאֵתָנִיםand the mightyיְסַלֵּף׃overthrows

    He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

20. 20

    מֵסִירtakes awayשָׂפָהthe speechלְנֶאֱמָנִיםof the trustyוְטַעַםand the understanding ofזְקֵנִיםeldersיִקָּח׃he will take

    He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

21. 21

    שׁוֹפֵךְsheddingבּוּזcontemptעַל־נְדִיבִיםupon the noblesוּמְזִיחַand the strength ofאֲפִיקִיםof the mightyרִפָּה׃weakens

    He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

22. 22

    מְגַלֶּהhe discoversעֲמֻקוֹתdeep thingsמִנִּי־חֹשֶׁךְout of darknessוַיֹּצֵאand brings outלָאוֹרto lightצַלְמָוֶת׃the shadow of death

    He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23. 23

    מַשְׂגִּיאhe increasesלַגּוֹיִםto the nationsוַיְאַבְּדֵםand he destroyed themשֹׁטֵחַhe enlargesלַגּוֹיִםto the nationsוַיַּנְחֵם׃and straitens them again

    He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

24. 24

    מֵסִירtakes awayלֵבheartרָאשֵׁיof the chief ofעַם־הָאָרֶץthe people of the earthוַיַּתְעֵםand causes them to wanderבְּתֹהוּin a wildernessלֹא־דָרֶךְ׃not a path

    He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

25. 25

    יְמַשְׁשׁוּ־חֹשֶׁךְthey grope in the darkוְלֹא־אוֹרand not lightוַיַּתְעֵםand he makes them to staggerכַּשִּׁכּוֹר׃like the drunkard

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