Job 21
1 But Job answered and said,
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 Hear you, hear you my words, that I may not have this consolation from you.
Hear ye diligently my word, 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 — ye may deride.
4 What! is my reproof of man? and why should I not be angry?
I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
5 Look upon me, and wonder, laying your hand upon your cheek.
Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 For even when I remember, I am alarmed, and pains seize my flesh.
Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
7 Therefore do the ungodly live, and grow old even in wealth?
Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, 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 upon them.
10 Their cow does not cast her calf, and their [beast] with young is safe, and does not miscarry.
His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth 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 as a flock their sucklings, 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 an organ.
They wear out in good their days, And in a moment [to] Sheol go down. (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 Thy 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.
Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath 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 oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth 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 hurricane hath stolen away,
19 Let his substance fail [to supply] his children: [God] shall recompense him, and he shall know it.
God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
20 Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him not be saved by the Lord.
His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
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?
To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
23 One shall die in his perfect strength, and wholly at ease and prosperous;
This [one] dieth 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 his bones doth moisten.
25 And another dies in bitterness of soul, not eating any good thing.
And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
26 But they lie down in the earth together, and corruption covers them.
Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
27 So I know you, that you presumptuously attack me:
Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye 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 ye say, 'Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
29 Ask those that go by the way, and do not disown their tokens.
Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
30 For the wicked hastens to the day of destruction: they shall be led away for the day of his vengeance.
That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
31 Who will tell him his way to his face, whereas he has done [it]? who shall recompense him?
Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
32 And he has been led away to the tombs, and he has watched over the heaps.
And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
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.
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 do you comfort me in vain? whereas I have no rest from your molestation.
And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
