12:2 “You ·really [truly] think you are the ·only wise people [L people] and that when you die, wisdom will die with you [C Job attacks the friends’ confidence in their wisdom]!
12:3 But my ·mind [L heart; C the heart was considered the location of thought] is as good as yours; ·you are not better than I am [L I am not inferior to you]. ·Everyone knows all these things [L Who is not like these?; C probably a reference to the three friends and their intelligence].
12:4 ·My friends all laugh at me [L I am a joke to my friends], I who called on God and he answered me [C a reference to his earlier days, which the friends now think are a joke]; they laugh at me even though I am right and innocent!
12:5 Those who are ·comfortable [at ease] ·don’t care that [L have contempt when] others have trouble; they think it right that those people ·should have troubles [L have shaky/unstable feet].
12:6 The tents of ·robbers [marauders] ·are not bothered [L have peace and quiet], and those who make God angry are ·safe [confident]. They have their god in their ·pocket [control; L hand].
12:7 “But ask the ·animals [beasts; cattle], and they will teach you [C that God is unjust], or ask the birds of the ·air [sky], and they will ·tell [inform] you.
12:8 Speak to the plants of the earth, and they will teach you, or let the fish of the sea ·tell [recount it to] you.
12:9 ·Every one of these knows [L Who does not know…?] that the hand of the Lord has done this.
12:10 The ·life [L breath] of ·every creature [all living things] and the ·breath [or spirit] of all people are in God’s hand.
12:11 ·The ear tests [Does not the ear test…?] words as the ·tongue [palate] tastes food.
12:12 Older people are wise, and long life brings understanding.
12:13 “But only God has wisdom and power, ·good advice [L advice] and understanding.
12:14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; anyone he ·puts in prison [L shuts up] cannot be let out.
12:15 If God holds back the waters, ·there is no rain [L they dry up]; if he lets the waters go, they flood the land.
12:16 He is strong and ·victorious [successful; or resourceful]; both the one who ·fools others [deceives] and the one who is ·fooled [deceived] belong to him.
12:17 God leads ·the wise away [counselors] ·as captives [plundered] and ·turns judges into fools [L renders judges deluded].
12:18 He ·takes off chains that kings put on [or loosens the sash of kings] and ·puts a garment on their bodies [or tightens the waistcloth around their hips; C he undermines their royal prerogatives and powers and causes them pain].
12:19 He leads priests away ·naked [L plundered] and destroys the ·powerful [L long-established].
12:20 He makes trusted people be silent and takes away the ·wisdom [discernment] of elders.
12:21 He brings disgrace on ·important people [princes] and ·takes away the weapons [L loosens the belt] of the strong.
12:22 He uncovers the deep things ·of [L from the] darkness and brings dark shadows ·into [or to overshadow] the light [C can mean either that God lightens the dark or darkens the light].
12:23 He makes nations great and then destroys them; he makes nations large and then scatters them.
12:24 He takes ·understanding [L heart] away from the leaders of the earth and makes them wander through a ·pathless desert [chaos/wasteland without a path].
12:25 They ·feel around [grope] in darkness with no light; he makes them ·stumble [L wander around] like drunks.
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