Job 21
1 Bvt Iob answered, and sayd,
And Job answers and says:
2 Heare diligently my wordes, and this shalbe in stead of your consolations.
“Hear my word diligently, And this is your consolation.
3 Suffer mee, that I may speake, and when I haue spoken, mocke on.
Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking—you may deride.
4 Doe I direct my talke to man? If it were so, how should not my spirit be troubled?
[Is] my complaint [against] man? And if [so], why may my temper not become short?
5 Marke mee, and be abashed, and lay your hand vpon your mouth.
Turn to me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 Euen when I remember, I am afrayde, and feare taketh hold on my flesh.
Indeed, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh has taken fright.
7 Wherefore do the wicked liue, and waxe olde, and grow in wealth?
Why do the wicked live? They have become old, Indeed, they have been mighty in wealth.
8 Their seede is established in their sight with them, and their generation before their eyes.
Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are peaceable without feare, and the rod of God is not vpon them.
Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God on them.
10 Their bullocke gendreth, and fayleth not: their cow calueth, and casteth not her calfe.
His bullock breeds without fail. His cow brings forth safely, and does not miscarry.
11 They send forth their children like sheepe, and their sonnes dance.
They send forth their sucklings as a flock, And their children skip,
12 They take the tabret and harpe, and reioyce in the sound of the organs.
They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of a pipe.
They wear out their days in good, And in a moment go down [to] Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
14 They say also vnto God, Depart from vs: for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes.
And they say to God, Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Your ways We have not desired.
15 Who is the Almightie, that we should serue him? and what profit should we haue, if we should pray vnto him?
What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?
16 Lo, their wealth is not in their hand: therfore let the counsell of the wicked bee farre from me.
Behold, their good [is] not in their hand (The counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
17 How oft shall the candle of the wicked be put out? and their destruction come vpon them? he wil deuide their liues in his wrath.
How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And their calamity comes on them? He apportions pangs in His anger.
18 They shall be as stubble before the winde, and as chaffe that the storme carieth away.
They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a windstorm has stolen away,
19 God wil lay vp the sorowe of the father for his children: when he rewardeth him, hee shall knowe it.
God lays up for his sons his sorrow, He gives repayment to him—and he knows.
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drinke of the wrath of the Almightie.
His own eyes see his destruction, And he drinks of the wrath of the Mighty.
21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the nomber of his moneths is cut off?
For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
22 Shall any teache God knowledge, who iudgeth the highest things?
Does [one] teach knowledge to God, Since He judges [those] on high?
23 One dyeth in his full strength, being in all ease and prosperitie.
This [one] dies in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His breasts are full of milke, and his bones runne full of marowe.
His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow moistens his bones.
25 And another dieth in the bitternes of his soule, and neuer eateth with pleasure.
And this [one] dies with a bitter soul, And has not eaten with gladness.
26 They shall sleepe both in the dust, and the wormes shall couer them.
Together they lie down on the dust, And the worm covers them over.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the enterprises, wherewith ye do me wrong.
Behold, I have known your thoughts, And the schemes against me you do wrongfully.
28 For ye say, Where is the princes house? and where is the tabernacle of the wickeds dwelling?
For you say, Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent—the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 May ye not aske the that go by the way? and ye can not deny their signes.
Have you not asked those passing by the way? And do you not know their signs?
30 But the wicked is kept vnto the day of destruction, and they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
That the wicked is spared to a day of calamity. They are brought to a day of wrath.
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall reward him for that he hath done?
Who declares his way to his face? And [for] that which he has done, Who gives repayment to him?
32 Yet shall he be brought to the graue, and remaine in the heape.
And he is brought to the graves, And a watch is kept over the heap.
33 The slimie valley shalbe sweete vnto him, and euery man shall draw after him, as before him there were innumerable.
The clods of the valley have been sweet to him, And he draws every man after him, And there is no numbering before him.
34 How then comfort ye me in vaine, seeing in your answeres there remaine but lyes?
And how do you comfort me [with] vanity, And trespass has been left in your answers?”
