Job 12:20

He deprives the trusted advisers ¹  of speech ²  and takes away the discernment ³  of elders.

He silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the discernment of elders.

"He deprives the trusted ones of speech And takes away the discernment of the elders.

He silences the trusted adviser, and he removes the insight of the elders.

He forces trusted sages to keep silence, deprives elders of their good sense and wisdom.

He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;

He deprives of speech those who are trusted, and takes away the discernment of the elders.

He deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders.

He deprives the trusted advisers ¹  of speech ²  and takes away the discernment ³  of elders.

¹ tn The Hebrew נֶאֱמָנִים (ne’emanim) is the Niphal participle; it is often translated “the faithful” in the Bible. The Rabbis rather fancifully took the word from נְאֻם (nÿ’um, “oracle, utterance”) and so rendered it “those who are eloquent, fluent in words.” But that would make this the only place in the Bible where this form came from that root or any other root besides אָמַן (’aman, “confirm, support”). But to say that God takes away the speech of the truthful or the faithful would be very difficult. It has to refer to reliable men, because it is parallel to the elders or old men. The NIV has “trusted advisers,” which fits well with kings and judges and priests.

² tn Heb “he removes the lip of the trusted ones.”

³ tn Heb “taste,” meaning “opinion” or “decision.”