Job 21
1 And Job answered and said,
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 Hear attentively my speech, and let this replace your consolations.
Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
3 Suffer me and I will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on!
Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
4 As for me, is my complaint to a man? or wherefore should not my spirit be impatient?
I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay the hand upon the mouth.
Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 Even when I think [thereon], I am affrighted, and trembling taketh hold of my flesh.
Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, grow old, yea, become mighty in power?
Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
8 Their seed is established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.
Their seed is established, Before their face 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] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,
12 They shout to the tambour and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.
They wear out in good their days, And in a moment [to] Sheol go down. (Sheol h7585)
14 And they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.
15 What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what are we profited if we pray unto him?
What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked be far from me!
Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, and cometh their calamity upon them? Doth he distribute sorrows [to them] in his anger?
How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
18 Do they become as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away?
They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
19 God layeth up [the punishment of] his iniquity for his children; he rewardeth him, and he shall know [it]:
God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the fury of the Almighty.
His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
21 For what pleasure should he have in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
22 Can any teach God knowledge? And he it is that judgeth those that are high.
To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His sides are full of fat, and the marrow of his bones is moistened;
His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
25 And another dieth in bitterness of soul, and hath not tasted good:
And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
26 Together they lie down in the dust, and the worms cover them.
Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
27 Lo, I know your thoughts, and the devices ye wrongfully imagine against me.
Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
28 For ye say, Where is the house of the noble? and where the tent of the dwellings of the wicked?
For ye say, 'Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
29 Have ye not asked the wayfarers? and do ye not regard their tokens:
Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
30 That the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity? They are led forth to the day of wrath.
That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
32 Yet is he carried to the graves, and watch is kept over the tomb.
And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
33 The clods of the valley are sweet unto him; and every man followeth suit after him, as there were innumerable before him.
Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.
34 How then comfort ye me in vain? Your answers remain perfidious.
And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
