Job 12:1–6
Job Replies: The Lord Has Done This
12 Then Job answered and said:
2 “No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you.
3 But I have bunderstanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know csuch things as these?
4 I am da laughingstock to my friends;
I, who ecalled to God and he answered me,
a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.
5 In the thought of one who is fat ease there is contempt for misfortune;
it is ready for those whose feet slip.
6 gThe tents of robbers are at peace,
and those who provoke God are secure,
who bring their god in their hand.1
Job 12:1–6 — The New International Version (NIV)
1 Then Job replied:
2 “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?
4 “I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
though I called on God and he answered—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
5 Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,
and those who provoke God are secure—
those God has in his hand.
Job 12:1–6 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
1 And Job answered and said,
2 No doubt but ye are the people,
And wisdom shall die with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you:
Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 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 He that is ready to slip with his feet
Is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper,
And they that provoke God are secure;
Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
Job 12:1–6 — New Living Translation (NLT)
1 Then Job spoke again:
2 “You people really know everything, don’t you?
And when you die, wisdom will die with you!
3 Well, I know a few things myself—
and you’re no better than I am.
Who doesn’t know these things you’ve been saying?
4 Yet my friends laugh at me,
for I call on God and expect an answer.
I am a just and blameless man,
yet they laugh at me.
5 People who are at ease mock those in trouble.
They give a push to people who are stumbling.
6 But robbers are left in peace,
and those who provoke God live in safety—
though God keeps them in his power.
Job 12:1–6 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “No doubt you are the people,
And wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Indeed, who does not know such things as these?
4 “I am one mocked by his friends,
Who called on God, and He answered him,
The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
5 A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease;
It is made ready for those whose feet slip.
6 The tents of robbers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure—
In what God provides by His hand.
Job 12:1–6 — New Century Version (NCV)
1 Then Job answered:
2 “You really think you are the only wise people
and that when you die, wisdom will die with you!
3 But my mind is as good as yours;
you are not better than I am.
Everyone knows all these things.
4 My friends all laugh at me
when I call on God and expect him to answer me;
they laugh at me even though I am right and innocent!
5 Those who are comfortable don’t care that others have trouble;
they think it right that those people should have troubles.
6 The tents of robbers are not bothered,
and those who make God angry are safe.
They have their god in their pocket.
Job 12:1–6 — American Standard Version (ASV)
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 No doubt but ye are the people,
And wisdom shall die with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you:
Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor,
I who called upon God, and he answered:
The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.
5 In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune;
It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.
6 The tents of robbers prosper,
And they that provoke God are secure;
Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
Job 12:1–6 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
1 And Job answered and said, 2 Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you! 3 I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these? 4 I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call upon †God, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright man. 5 He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
6 The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke •God are secure; into whose hand †God bringeth.
Job 12:1–6 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
1 Then Job replied ⸤to his friends⸥,
2 “You certainly are ⸤wise⸥ people,
and when you die, wisdom will die.
3 Like you, I have a mind.
I am not inferior to you.
But who doesn’t know these things?
4 I am a laughingstock to my neighbors.
I am one who calls on God and expects an answer.
A man of integrity, a man who is righteous, has become a laughingstock.
5 “A person who has an easy life has no appreciation for misfortune.
He thinks it is the fate of those who slip up.
6 ⸤But⸥ robbers’ tents are prosperous,
and there is security for those who provoke God,
for those whose god is their power.
Job 12:1–6 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 Then Job answered:
2 No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I also have a mind;
I am not inferior to you.
Who doesn’t know the things you are talking about?
4 I am a laughingstock to my friends,
by calling on God, who answers me.
The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
5 The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt
and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tents of robbers are safe,
and those who provoke God are secure;
God’s power provides this.
Job 12:1–6 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1 Then Job answered:
2 “No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know such things as these?
4 I am a laughingstock to my friends;
I, who called upon God and he answered me,
a just and blameless man, I am a laughingstock.
5 Those at ease have contempt for misfortune,
but it is ready for those whose feet are unstable.
6 The tents of robbers are at peace,
and those who provoke God are secure,
who bring their god in their hands.
Job 12:1–6 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 “Truly indeed you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you.
3 I also have insight like you;
I am not more inferior than you.
And who does not know things like these?
4 I am a laughingstock to my friends:
‘He calls on God, and he answers him.’
A righteous, blameless man is a laughingstock.
5 Those at ease have contempt for the thought of disaster,
but it is ready for those unstable of foot.
6 The tents of the destroyers are at peace,
and there is security for those who provoke God,
for those whom God brings into his hand.
Job 12:1–6 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
1 Job replied,
2 “You people think you know everything, don’t you?
You are sure that wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have a brain, just like you.
I’m as clever as you are.
In fact, everyone knows as much as you do.
4 “My friends laugh at me all the time,
even though I called out to God and he answered.
My friends laugh at me,
even though I’m honest and right.
5 People who have an easy life look down on those who have problems.
They think trouble comes only to those whose feet are slipping.
6 Why doesn’t anyone bother the tents of robbers?
Why do those who make God angry remain secure?
They carry the statues of their gods in their hands!
Job 12:1–6 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
1 Then Job responded,
2 “Truly then you are the people,
And with you wisdom will die!
3 “But I have intelligence as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
And who does not know such things as these?
4 “I am a joke to my friends,
The one who called on God and He answered him;
The just and blameless man is a joke.
5 “He who is at ease holds calamity in contempt,
As prepared for those whose feet slip.
6 “The tents of the destroyers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure,
Whom God brings into their power.