Job 21
1 But 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? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand on your mouth.
Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling takes hold on my flesh.
Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
7 Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, are 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 from fear, neither is the rod of God on them.
Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull engenders, and fails not; their cow calves, and casts 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 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 an organ.
They wear out in good their days, And in a moment [to] Sheol go down. (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 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 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.
Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath 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 oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth 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 hurricane hath stolen away,
19 God lays up his iniquity for his children: he rewards 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 wrath of the Almighty.
His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
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.
To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
23 One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
This [one] dieth 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 his bones doth moisten.
25 And another dies in the bitterness of his soul, and never eats with pleasure.
And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover 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 you wrongfully imagine against me.
Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
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 — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
29 Have you not asked them that go by the way? and do you not know their tokens,
Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought 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 has done?
Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are 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 you me in vain, seeing in your answers there remains falsehood?
And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
