12:1 约伯回答说：
Then Job replied and said: 12:2 的确，只有你们是有知识的子民；那么，你们一死，智慧也与你们一同丧亡!
No doubt you are the intelligent folk, and with you wisdom shall die! 12:3 其实，我和你们有同样的心理，我并不亚于你们!谁不知道这些事﹖
But I have intelligence as well as you; for who does not know such things as these? 12:4 我这呼吁天主而蒙应允的人，却被他的友人所嘲笑，无辜的义人却成了笑柄。
I have become the sport of my neighbors: "The one whom God answers when he calls upon him, The just, the perfect man," is a laughing-stock; 12:5 幸运的人心想：遭难的人应受蔑视，失足的人应再予以打击。
The undisturbed esteem my downfall a disgrace such as awaits unsteady feet; 12:6 但是，强盗的帐幕竟能安全，触怒天主的人，以势力为神的人却享平安。
Yet the tents of robbers are prosperous, and those who provoke God are secure. 12:7 请你询问走兽，它们也会开导你；询问天上的飞鸟，它们也会告诉你；
But now ask the beasts to teach you, and the birds of the air to tell you; 12:8 地上的爬虫也会教训你，海中的鱼族也会给你说明。
Or the reptiles on earth to instruct you, and the fish of the sea to inform you. 12:9 它们中有谁不知道：是天主的手创造了这一切﹖
Which of all these does not know that the hand of God has done this? 12:10 因为一切活物的生魂，一切血肉之人的灵魂，都握在他手中。
In his hand is the soul of every living thing, and the life breath of all mankind. 12:11 耳朵不是为明辨言语，口腔不是为辨尝食物吗﹖
Does not the ear judge words as the mouth tastes food? 12:12 白发老人是有智慧的，年纪大者是有见识的；
So with old age is wisdom, and with length of days understanding. 12:13 但智慧和能力同在天主内，智慧与见识是天主所有。
With him are wisdom and might; his are counsel and understanding. 12:14 他若拆毁，人不能再建；他若拘禁，人不得开释。
If he breaks a thing down, there is no rebuilding; if he imprisons a man, there is no release. 12:15 他若制水，水便干涸；他若放水，水便冲毁大地。
He holds back the waters and there is drought; he sends them forth and they overwhelm the land. 12:16 力量与才能，为他所有；受骗者与骗人者，都属于他。
With him are strength and prudence; the misled and the misleaders are his. 12:17 他使谋士胡涂，使判官愚蠢；
He sends counselors away barefoot, and of judges he makes fools. 12:18 他解除君王所系的玉带，将绳索捆在他们的腰间；
He loosens the bonds imposed by kings and leaves but a waistcloth to bind the king’s own loins. 12:19 他使司祭赤足而行，推倒掌握大权者；
and lets their never-failing waters flow away. 12:20 夺去忠贞者的辩才，剥去年老者的理智：
He silences the trusted adviser, and takes discretion from the aged. 12:21 使贵人备受侮辱，使勇士的腰带松弛；
He breaks down the barriers of the streams 12:22 使隐秘的事由暗处彰显，使黑暗进入光明；
The recesses of the darkness he discloses, and brings the gloom forth to the light. 12:23 使邦国兴起而又灭亡，使民族强大而又消散；
He makes nations great and he destroys them; he spreads peoples abroad and he abandons them. 12:24 剥去国君的理智，使他们漂泊于无路的荒野，
He takes understanding from the leaders of the land, 12:25 在无光的黑暗中摸索，踉跄得犹如醉汉。
till they grope in the darkness without light; he makes them stagger like drunken men.