Job 21
1 Then Job answered, and said:
And Job answered and said,
2 Hear, I beseech you, my words, and do penance.
Hear attentively my speech, and let this replace your consolations.
3 Suffer me, and I will speak, and after, if you please, laugh at my words.
Suffer me and I will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on!
4 Is my debate against man, that I should not have just reason to be troubled?
As for me, is my complaint to a man? or wherefore should not my spirit be impatient?
5 Hearken to me and be astonished, and lay your finger on your mouth.
Mark me, and be astonished, and lay the hand upon the mouth.
6 As for me, when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
Even when I think [thereon], I am affrighted, and trembling taketh hold of my flesh.
7 Why then do the wicked live, are they advanced, and strengthened with riches?
Wherefore do the wicked live, grow old, yea, become mighty in power?
8 Their seed continueth before them, a multitude of kinsmen, and of children’s children in their sight.
Their seed is established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are secure and peaceable, and the rod of God is not upon them.
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 Their cattle have conceived, and failed not: their cow has calved, and is not deprived of her fruit.
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children dance and play.
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
12 They take the timbrel, and the harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
They shout to the tambour and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity, and in a moment go down to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
14 Who have said to God: Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
And they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what doth it profit us if we pray to him?
What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what are we profited if we pray unto him?
16 Yet because their good things are not in their hand, may the counsel of the wicked be far from me.
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked be far from me!
17 How often shall the lamp of the wicked be put out, and a deluge come upon them, and he shall distribute the sorrows of his wrath?
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?
18 They shall be as chaff before the face of the wind, and as ashes which the whirlwind scattereth.
Do they become as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away?
19 God shall lay up the sorrow of the father for his children: and when he shall repay, then shall he know.
God layeth up [the punishment of] his iniquity for his children; he rewardeth him, and he shall know [it]:
20 His eyes shall see his own destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the fury of the Almighty.
21 For what is it to him what befalleth his house after him: and if the number of his months be diminished by one half?
For what pleasure should he have in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
22 Shall any one teach God knowledge, who judgeth those that are high?
Can any teach God knowledge? And he it is that judgeth those that are high.
23 One man dieth strong, and hale, rich and happy.
One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
24 His bowels are full of fat, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
His sides are full of fat, and the marrow of his bones is moistened;
25 But another dieth in bitterness of soul without any riches:
And another dieth in bitterness of soul, and hath not tasted good:
26 And yet they shall sleep together in the dust, and worms shall cover them.
Together they lie down in the dust, and the worms cover them.
27 Surely I know your thoughts, and your unjust judgments against me.
Lo, I know your thoughts, and the devices ye wrongfully imagine against me.
28 For you say: Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
For ye say, Where is the house of the noble? and where the tent of the dwellings of the wicked?
29 Ask any one of them that go by the way, and you shall perceive that he knoweth these same things.
Have ye not asked the wayfarers? and do ye not regard their tokens:
30 Because the wicked man is reserved to the day of destruction, and he shall be brought to the day of wrath.
That the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity? They are led forth to the day of wrath.
31 Who shall reprove his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
32 He shall be brought to the graves, and shall watch in the heap of the dead.
Yet is he carried to the graves, and watch is kept over the tomb.
33 He hath been acceptable to the gravel of Cocytus, and he shall draw every man after him, and there are innumerable before him.
The clods of the valley are sweet unto him; and every man followeth suit after him, as there were innumerable before him.
34 How then do ye comfort me in vain, whereas your answer is shewn to be repugnant to truth?
How then comfort ye me in vain? Your answers remain perfidious.
