Job 12:21

He pours contempt on noblemen and disarms ¹  the powerful. ² 

He pours contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.

"He pours contempt on nobles And loosens the belt of the strong.

He pours disgrace upon princes and confiscates weapons from the strong.

He dumps contempt on famous people, disarms the strong and mighty.

He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;

He pours contempt on princes, and looses the belt of the strong.

He pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty.

He pours contempt on noblemen and disarms ¹  the powerful. ² 

¹ tn The expression in Hebrew uses מְזִיחַ (mÿziakh, “belt”) and the Piel verb רִפָּה (rippah, “to loosen”) so that “to loosen the belt of the mighty” would indicate “to disarm/incapacitate the mighty.” Others have opted to change the text: P. Joüon emends to read “forehead” – “he humbles the brow of the mighty.”

² tn The word אָפַק (’afaq, “to be strong”) is well-attested, and the form אָפִיק (’afiq) is a normal adjective formation. So a translation like “mighty” (KJV, NIV) or “powerful” is acceptable, and further emendations are unnecessary.