Job 21
1 And Job answers and says:
Then Job answered, and said:
2 “Hear my word diligently, And this is your consolation.
Hear, I beseech you, my words, and do penance.
3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking—you may deride.
Suffer me, and I will speak, and after, if you please, laugh at my words.
4 [Is] my complaint [against] man? And if [so], why may my temper not become short?
Is my debate against man, that I should not have just reason to be troubled?
5 Turn to me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
Hearken to me and be astonished, and lay your finger on your mouth.
6 Indeed, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh has taken fright.
As for me, when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Why do the wicked live? They have become old, Indeed, they have been mighty in wealth.
Why then do the wicked live, are they advanced, and strengthened with riches?
8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
Their seed continueth before them, a multitude of kinsmen, and of children’s children in their sight.
9 Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God on them.
Their houses are secure and peaceable, and the rod of God is not upon them.
10 His bullock breeds without fail. His cow brings forth safely, and does not miscarry.
Their cattle have conceived, and failed not: their cow has calved, and is not deprived of her fruit.
11 They send forth their sucklings as a flock, And their children skip,
Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children dance and play.
12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of a pipe.
They take the timbrel, and the harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell. (Sheol h7585)
14 And they say to God, Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Your ways We have not desired.
Who have said to God: Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
15 What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what doth it profit us if we pray to him?
16 Behold, their good [is] not in their hand (The counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
Yet because their good things are not in their hand, may the counsel of the wicked be far from me.
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And their calamity comes on them? He apportions pangs in His anger.
How often shall the lamp of the wicked be put out, and a deluge come upon them, and he shall distribute the sorrows of his wrath?
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a windstorm has stolen away,
They shall be as chaff before the face of the wind, and as ashes which the whirlwind scattereth.
19 God lays up for his sons his sorrow, He gives repayment to him—and he knows.
God shall lay up the sorrow of the father for his children: and when he shall repay, then shall he know.
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And he drinks of the wrath of the Mighty.
His eyes shall see his own destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
For what is it to him what befalleth his house after him: and if the number of his months be diminished by one half?
22 Does [one] teach knowledge to God, Since He judges [those] on high?
Shall any one teach God knowledge, who judgeth those that are high?
23 This [one] dies in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
One man dieth strong, and hale, rich and happy.
24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow moistens his bones.
His bowels are full of fat, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 And this [one] dies with a bitter soul, And has not eaten with gladness.
But another dieth in bitterness of soul without any riches:
26 Together they lie down on the dust, And the worm covers them over.
And yet they shall sleep together in the dust, and worms shall cover them.
27 Behold, I have known your thoughts, And the schemes against me you do wrongfully.
Surely I know your thoughts, and your unjust judgments against me.
28 For you say, Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent—the dwelling places of the wicked?
For you say: Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 Have you not asked those passing by the way? And do you not know their signs?
Ask any one of them that go by the way, and you shall perceive that he knoweth these same things.
30 That the wicked is spared to a day of calamity. They are brought to a day of wrath.
Because the wicked man is reserved to the day of destruction, and he shall be brought to the day of wrath.
31 Who declares his way to his face? And [for] that which he has done, Who gives repayment to him?
Who shall reprove his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
32 And he is brought to the graves, And a watch is kept over the heap.
He shall be brought to the graves, and shall watch in the heap of the dead.
33 The clods of the valley have been sweet to him, And he draws every man after him, And there is no numbering before him.
He hath been acceptable to the gravel of Cocytus, and he shall draw every man after him, and there are innumerable before him.
34 And how do you comfort me [with] vanity, And trespass has been left in your answers?”
How then do ye comfort me in vain, whereas your answer is shewn to be repugnant to truth?
