Job 21
1 Then Job answered,
But Job answered and said:
2 “Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
Hear attentively my words, And let this be your consolation.
3 Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
Bear with me, that I may speak; And after I have spoken, mock on!
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? Why should not I be impatient?
Is my complaint concerning man? Why then should I not be angry?
5 Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
Look upon me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth!
6 When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
When I think of it, I am confounded; Trembling taketh hold of my flesh.
7 “Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
Why is it that the wicked live, Grow old, yea, become mighty in substance?
8 Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
Their children are established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
Their houses are in peace, without fear, And the rod of God cometh not upon them.
10 Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and do not miscarry.
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment go down to the under-world. (Sheol h7585)
14 They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we do not want to know about your ways.
And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us! We desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what will it profit us, if we pray to him?”
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
[[Ye say, ]] “Lo! their prosperity is not secure in their hands! Far from me be the conduct of the wicked!”
17 “How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
How often is it, that the lamp of the wicked is put out? And that destruction cometh upon them, And that He dispenseth to them tribulations in his anger?
18 How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
How often are they as stubble before the wind, Or as chaff, which the whirlwind carrieth away?
19 You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
“But” [[say ye]] “God layeth up his iniquity for his children.” Let him requite the offender, and let him feel it!
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty!
21 For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
For what concern hath he for his household after him, When the number of his own months is completed?
22 “Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
Who then shall impart knowledge to God, —To him that judgeth the highest?
23 One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
One dieth in the fulness of his prosperity, Being wholly at ease and quiet;
24 His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
His sides are full of fat, And his bones moist with marrow.
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
Another dieth in bitterness of soul, And hath not tasted pleasure.
26 They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
Alike they lie down in the dust, And the worms cover them.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices by which ye wrong me.
28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
For ye say, “Where is the house of the oppressor, And where the dwelling-places of the wicked?”
29 Have not you asked wayfaring men? Do not you know their evidences,
Have ye never inquired of travellers, And do ye not know their tokens,
30 that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
That the wicked is spared in the day of destruction, And that he is borne to his grave in the day of wrath?
31 Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
Who will charge him with his conduct to his face, And who will requite him for the evil he hath done?
32 Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.
Even this man is borne with honor to the grave; Yea, he watcheth over his tomb.
33 The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
Sweet to him are the sods of the valley: And all men move after him, As multitudes without number before him.
34 So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
Why then do ye offer your vain consolations? Your answers continue false.
