Job 21
1 But Job answered and said,
And Job answers and says:
2 Hear you, hear you my words, that I may not have this consolation from you.
“Hear my word diligently, And this is your consolation.
3 Raise me, and I will speak; then you shall not laugh me to scorn.
Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking—you may deride.
4 What! is my reproof of man? and why should I not be angry?
[Is] my complaint [against] man? And if [so], why may my temper not become short?
5 Look upon me, and wonder, laying your hand upon your cheek.
Turn to me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 For even when I remember, I am alarmed, and pains seize my flesh.
Indeed, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh has taken fright.
7 Therefore do the ungodly live, and grow old even in wealth?
Why do the wicked live? They have become old, Indeed, they have been mighty in wealth.
8 Their seed is according to [their] desire, and their children are in [their] sight.
Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are prosperous, neither [have they] any where [cause for] fear, neither is there a scourge from the Lord upon them.
Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God on them.
10 Their cow does not cast her calf, and their [beast] with young is safe, and does not miscarry.
His bullock breeds without fail. His cow brings forth safely, and does not miscarry.
11 And they remain as an unfailing flock, and their children play before [them], taking up the lute and harp;
They send forth their sucklings as a flock, And their children skip,
12 and they rejoice at the voice of a song.
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 Yet [such a man] says to the Lord, Depart from me; I desire not to know 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 Mighty One, that we should serve him? and what profit is there that we should approach him?
What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?
16 For their good things were in [their] hands, but he regards not the works of the ungodly.
Behold, their good [is] not in their hand (The counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
17 Nevertheless, the lamp of the ungodly also shall be put out, and destruction shall come upon them, and pangs of vengeance shall seize them.
How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And their calamity comes on them? He apportions pangs in His anger.
18 And they shall be as chaff before the wind, or as dust which the storm has taken up.
They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a windstorm has stolen away,
19 Let his substance fail [to supply] his children: [God] shall recompense him, and he shall know it.
God lays up for his sons his sorrow, He gives repayment to him—and he knows.
20 Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him not be saved by the Lord.
His own eyes see his destruction, And he drinks of the wrath of the Mighty.
21 For his desire is in his house with him, and the number of his months has been suddenly cut off.
For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
22 Is it not the Lord who teaches understanding and knowledge? and does not he judge murders?
Does [one] teach knowledge to God, Since He judges [those] on high?
23 One shall die in his perfect strength, and wholly at ease and prosperous;
This [one] dies in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
24 and his inwards are full of fat, and his marrow is diffused [throughout him].
His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow moistens his bones.
25 And another dies in bitterness of soul, not eating any good thing.
And this [one] dies with a bitter soul, And has not eaten with gladness.
26 But they lie down in the earth together, and corruption covers them.
Together they lie down on the dust, And the worm covers them over.
27 So I know you, that you presumptuously attack me:
Behold, I have known your thoughts, And the schemes against me you do wrongfully.
28 so that you will say, Where is the house of the prince? and where is the covering of the tabernacles of the ungodly?
For you say, Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent—the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 Ask those that go by the way, and do not disown their tokens.
Have you not asked those passing by the way? And do you not know their signs?
30 For the wicked hastens to the day of destruction: they shall be led away for the day of his vengeance.
That the wicked is spared to a day of calamity. They are brought to a day of wrath.
31 Who will tell him his way to his face, whereas he has done [it]? who shall recompense him?
Who declares his way to his face? And [for] that which he has done, Who gives repayment to him?
32 And he has been led away to the tombs, and he has watched over the heaps.
And he is brought to the graves, And a watch is kept over the heap.
33 The stones of the valley have been sweet to him, and every man shall depart after him, and [there are] innumerable [ones] 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 do you comfort me in vain? whereas I have no rest from your molestation.
And how do you comfort me [with] vanity, And trespass has been left in your answers?”
