Job 21
1 Then answered Job, and said,
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 Hear, O hear my speech, and let this be wherewith you give consolations.
Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
3 Bear with me that I may indeed speak: and after my speaking, then canst thou mock.
Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
4 As for me, —is against man my complaint? and if this be so, why should my spirit not be impatient?
I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
5 Turn yourselves unto me, and be astounded, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 Yea, when I think of it, I am terrified, and shuddering seizeth hold of my flesh.
Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, grow strong in power?
Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
8 Their seed is firmly established in their presence with them. their offspring are before their eyes.
Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And 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] peace without fear, Nor [is] a 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 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 skip about [with joy].
They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,
12 They sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.
13 They wear out their days in happiness, and in a moment they go down to the nether world. (Sheol h7585)
They wear out in good their days, And in a moment [to] Sheol go down. (Sheol h7585)
14 And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us; and the knowledge of thy ways we desire not.
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 shall we have, if we entreat him urgently?”
What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with 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 hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been 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 is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
18 Are they as straw before the wind, and as chaff which the stealeth away?
They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen 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.
God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
20 His own eyes ought to see his downfall, and from the wrath of the Almighty ought he to drink.
His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
21 For what care hath he for his household after him, when the number of his months is all apportioned to him?
For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
22 Is this fitting God, who teacheth knowledge? him who judgeth those that are highest?
To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
23 That this one dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His vessels being full of healthy fluid, and the marrow of his bones being well moistened:
His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
25 While this other dieth with an embittered soul, and hath never partaken of any happiness;
And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
26 [And yet] together they must lie down in the dust, and the worms will cover them?
Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the opinions which ye wrongfully devise against me.
Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
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? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
29 Have ye not asked the wayfarers? surely their token ye cannot disregard,
Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
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 a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
31 [But] who will tell him to his face of his way? and who will repay him what he hath done?
Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
32 Yea he will indeed be carried to the grave, and men will quickly think of his monument:
And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
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.
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 will ye comfort me with vanity? and of your answers there remaineth only deception.
And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
