Job 21
1 Then answered Job, and said,
Then responded Job, and said: —
2 Hear, O hear my speech, and let this be wherewith you give consolations.
Hear ye patiently my words, and let this be your consolation:
3 Bear with me that I may indeed speak: and after my speaking, then canst thou mock.
Suffer me, that, I, may speak, and, after I have spoken, thou canst mock!
4 As for me, —is against man my complaint? and if this be so, why should my spirit not be impatient?
Did, I, unto man, make my complaint? Wherefore, then, should my spirit not be impatient?
5 Turn yourselves unto me, and be astounded, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
Turn round to me, and be astonished, and lay hand on mouth!
6 Yea, when I think of it, I am terrified, and shuddering seizeth hold of my flesh.
When I call to mind, then am I dismayed, and there seizeth my flesh a shuddering: —
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, grow strong in power?
Wherefore do, lawless men, live, advance in years, even wax mighty in power?
8 Their seed is firmly established in their presence with them. their offspring are before their eyes.
Their seed, is established in their sight, along with them, yea their offspring, before their eyes;
9 Their houses are at peace without any dread, and no rod of God [cometh] over them.
Their houses, are at peace, without dread, neither is, the rod of GOD, upon them;
10 The bull of each one gendereth, and disappointeth not: the cow of each one calveth, and casteth not her young.
His bull, covereth, and causeth not aversion, His cow safely calveth, and casteth not her young;
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children skip about [with joy].
They send forth—like a flock—their young ones, and, their children, skip about for joy;
12 They sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They rejoice aloud as [with] timbrel and lyre, and make merry to the sound of the pipe;
13 They wear out their days in happiness, and in a moment they go down to the nether world. (Sheol h7585)
They complete, in prosperity, their days, and, in a moment to hades, they sink down. (Sheol h7585)
14 And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us; and the knowledge of thy ways we desire not.
Yet they said unto GOD, Depart from us, and, In the knowledge of thy ways, find we no pleasure.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have, if we entreat him urgently?”
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? Or what shall we profit, that we should urge him?
16 Lo, not in their hand doth their happiness rest! The counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
Lo! not in their own hand, is their welfare, The counsel of lawless men, is far from me!
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked quenched? and how often cometh over them their calamity? and doth [God] distribute their lot in his anger?
How oft, the lamp of the lawless, goeth out, and their calamity, cometh upon them, Sorrows, apportioneth he in his anger;
18 Are they as straw before the wind, and as chaff which the stealeth away?
They become as straw before the wind, and as chaff, which the storm stealeth away.
19 Should God lay up for his children his wrong-doing? it were better that he reward him, that he might know it himself.
Shall, GOD, reserve, for his children, his sorrow? Let him recompense him so that he may know it;
20 His own eyes ought to see his downfall, and from the wrath of the Almighty ought he to drink.
His own eyes, shall see his misfortune, and, the wrath of the Almighty, shall he drink.
21 For what care hath he for his household after him, when the number of his months is all apportioned to him?
For what shall be his pleasure in his house after him, when, the number of his months, is cut in twain?
22 Is this fitting God, who teacheth knowledge? him who judgeth those that are highest?
Is it, to GOD, one can teach knowledge, seeing that, he, shall judge, them who are on high?
23 That this one dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
This, man dieth, in the very perfection of his prosperity, wholly tranquil and secure;
24 His vessels being full of healthy fluid, and the marrow of his bones being well moistened:
His veins, are filled with nourishment, and, the marrow of his bones, is fresh;
25 While this other dieth with an embittered soul, and hath never partaken of any happiness;
Whereas, this other man, dieth, in bitterness of soul, and hath never tasted good fortune:
26 [And yet] together they must lie down in the dust, and the worms will cover them?
Together, in the dust, they lie down, and, the worm, spreadeth a covering over them.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the opinions which ye wrongfully devise against me.
Lo! I know your plans, and the devices, wherewith ye would do me violence!
28 For ye say, Where is the house of the noble-minded? and where is the tent of the dwelling-places of the wicked?
For ye say, Where is the house of the noble-minded? And where the dwelling-tent of the lawless?
29 Have ye not asked the wayfarers? surely their token ye cannot disregard,
Have ye not asked the passers-by in the way? And, their signs, can ye not recognise?
30 That the bad man is reserved for the day of calamity, [that the wicked] are carried forward to the day of wrath.
That, to the day of calamity, is the wicked reserved, to the day of indignant visitation, are they led.
31 [But] who will tell him to his face of his way? and who will repay him what he hath done?
Who can declare—to his face—his way? And, what, he, hath done, who shall recompense to him?
32 Yea he will indeed be carried to the grave, and men will quickly think of his monument:
Yet, he, to the graves, is borne, and, over the tomb, one keepeth watch;
33 Sweet are to him the clods of the valley; and after him succeedeth every man, as those that were before him are without number.
Pleasant to him are the mounds of the torrent-bed, —and, after him, doth every man march, as, before him, there were without number.
34 How then will ye comfort me with vanity? and of your answers there remaineth only deception.
How then should ye comfort me with vanity, since, as for your replies, there lurketh, [in them] treachery?
