1-2. Job said to his friends:You think you are so great,with all the answers.
3. But I know as much as you do,and so does everyone else.
4. I have always lived right,and God answered my prayers;now friends make fun of me.
5. It's easy to condemnthose who are suffering,when you have no troubles.
6. Robbers and other godless peoplelive safely at home and say,“God is in our hands!”
7. If you want to learn,then go and askthe wild animals and the birds,
8. the flowers and the fish.
9. Any of them can tell youwhat the Lord has done.
10. Every living creatureis in the hands of God.
11. We hear with our ears,taste with our tongues,
12. and gain some wisdom from thosewho have lived a long time.
13. But God is the real sourceof wisdom and strength.
14. No one can rebuildwhat he destroys, or releasethose he has imprisoned.
15. God can hold back the rainor send a flood,
16. just as he rules over liarsand those they lie to.
17. God destroys counsellors,turns judges into fools,
18. and makes slaves of kings.
19. God removes priests and otherswho have great power—
20. he confuses wise,experienced advisers,
21. puts mighty kings to shame,and takes away their power.
22. God turns darkness to light;
23. he makes nations strong,then shatters their strength.
24. God strikes their rulers senseless,then leaves them to roamthrough barren deserts,
25. lost in the dark, staggeringlike someone drunk.