Job 21
1 And Job answers and says:
Then Job answered,
2 “Hear my word diligently, And this is your consolation.
“Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking—you may deride.
Allow me, and I also will speak. 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? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
5 Turn to me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
6 Indeed, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh has taken fright.
When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of 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, yes, and grow mighty in power?
8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
Their child is established with them in their sight, 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 bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.
11 They send forth their sucklings as a flock, And their children skip,
They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of a pipe.
They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
14 And they say to God, Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Your ways We have not desired.
They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.
15 What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? 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).
Behold, their prosperity 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 often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a windstorm has stolen away,
How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
19 God lays up for his sons his sorrow, He gives repayment to him—and he knows.
You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And he drinks of the wrath of the Mighty.
Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him 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 does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
22 Does [one] teach knowledge to God, Since He judges [those] on high?
“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
23 This [one] dies in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow moistens his bones.
His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
25 And this [one] dies with a bitter soul, And has not eaten with gladness.
Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
26 Together they lie down on the dust, And the worm covers them over.
They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
27 Behold, I have known your thoughts, And the schemes against me you do wrongfully.
“Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong 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? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Have you not asked those passing by the way? And do you not know their signs?
Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,
30 That the wicked is spared to a day of calamity. They are brought to a day of wrath.
that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out 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 will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
32 And he is brought to the graves, And a watch is kept over the heap.
Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over 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 will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
34 And how do you comfort me [with] vanity, And trespass has been left in your answers?”
So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
