Job 21
1 Then Job answered and said:
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 Hear diligently my speech; and let this be your consolations.
Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
3 Suffer me, that I may speak; and after that 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 man? Or why should I not be impatient?
I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
5 Turn unto me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am affrighted, and horror hath taketh hold on my flesh.
Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, 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, without 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 sing to the timbrel 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 Yet they said 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 profit should we have, 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 Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand; the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
17 How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? that their calamity cometh upon them? that He distributeth pains 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 That they are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm stealeth away?
They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
19 'God layeth up his iniquity for his children!' — let Him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it.
God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him? seeing the number of his months is determined.
For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing it is He 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 pails are full of milk, 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 never tasted of good.
And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
26 They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm covereth them.
Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which 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 prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?'
For ye say, 'Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way; and will ye misdeem their tokens,
Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
30 That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that 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 But 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 For he is borne to the grave, and watch is kept over his 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 all men draw 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? And as for your answers, there remaineth only faithlessness?
And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
