Job 21
1 And Job answers and says:
But Job answered and said,
2 “Hear my word diligently, And this is your consolation.
Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking—you may deride.
Bear with me that I may speak; and after I have spoken, mock on.
4 [Is] my complaint [against] man? And if [so], why may my temper not become short?
As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
5 Turn to me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 Indeed, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh has taken fright.
Even 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 do the wicked live, become old, and, are mighty in power?
8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God on them.
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 His bullock breeds without fail. His cow brings forth safely, and does not miscarry.
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send forth their sucklings as a flock, And their children skip,
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of a pipe.
They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the flute.
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
14 And they say to God, Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Your ways We have not desired.
Therefore they say to God, Depart from us; for 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 profit should we have, if we pray to him?
16 Behold, their good [is] not in their hand (The counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is 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 oft is the lamp of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a windstorm has stolen away,
They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
19 God lays up for his sons his sorrow, He gives repayment to him—and he knows.
God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And he drinks of the wrath of the Mighty.
His eyes shall see his 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 pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
22 Does [one] teach knowledge to God, Since He judges [those] on high?
Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
23 This [one] dies in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow moistens his bones.
His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 And this [one] dies with a bitter soul, And has not eaten with gladness.
And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
26 Together they lie down on the dust, And the worm covers them over.
They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
27 Behold, I have known your thoughts, And the schemes against me you do wrongfully.
Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
28 For you say, Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent—the dwelling places of the wicked?
For ye 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?
Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their signs,
30 That the wicked is spared to a day of calamity. They are brought to a day of wrath.
That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth 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 declare 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.
Yet he shall be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
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.
The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
34 And how do you comfort me [with] vanity, And trespass has been left in your answers?”
How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
