Job 21
1 But Job answered and said,
And Job answers and says:
2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
“Hear my word diligently, 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—you may deride.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
[Is] my complaint [against] man? And if [so], why may my temper not become short?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand on your mouth.
Turn to me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling takes hold on my flesh.
Indeed, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh has taken fright.
7 Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, are mighty in power?
Why do the wicked live? They have become old, Indeed, 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 from fear, neither is the rod of God on them.
Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God on them.
10 Their bull engenders, and fails not; their cow calves, and casts not her calf.
His bullock breeds without fail. His cow brings forth safely, and does not miscarry.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
They send forth their sucklings as a flock, And their children skip,
12 They take the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
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 Therefore they say to God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of your ways.
And they say to God, Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Your ways We have not desired.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray to him?
What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?
16 See, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Behold, their good [is] not in their hand (The counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft comes their destruction on them! God distributes sorrows in his anger.
How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And their calamity comes on them? He apportions pangs in His anger.
18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carries away.
They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a windstorm has stolen away,
19 God lays up his iniquity for his children: he rewards him, and he shall know 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 drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
His own eyes see his destruction, And he drinks of the wrath of the Mighty.
21 For what pleasure has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the middle?
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 he judges those that are high.
Does [one] teach knowledge to God, Since He judges [those] on high?
23 One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
This [one] dies in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow moistens his bones.
25 And another dies in the bitterness of his soul, and never eats with pleasure.
And this [one] dies with a bitter soul, And has not eaten with gladness.
26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
Together they lie down on the dust, And the worm covers them over.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which you wrongfully imagine against me.
Behold, I have known your thoughts, And the schemes against me you do wrongfully.
28 For you say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
For you say, Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent—the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 Have you not asked them that go by the way? and do you not know their tokens,
Have you not asked those passing by the way? And do you not know their signs?
30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? 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 repay him what he has 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 grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
And he is brought to the graves, And a watch is kept over the heap.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
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 you me in vain, seeing in your answers there remains falsehood?
And how do you comfort me [with] vanity, And trespass has been left in your answers?”
