Job 21
1 But Job answered and said:
Then Job answered:
2 Hear attentively my words, And let this be your consolation.
“Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.
3 Bear with me, that I may speak; And after I have spoken, mock on!
Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
4 Is my complaint concerning man? Why then should I not be angry?
Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?
5 Look upon me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth!
Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.
6 When I think of it, I am confounded; Trembling taketh hold of my flesh.
When I remember, terror takes hold, and my body trembles in horror.
7 Why is it that the wicked live, Grow old, yea, become mighty in substance?
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
8 Their children are established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are in peace, without fear, And the rod of God cometh not upon them.
Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
Their bulls breed without fail; their cows bear calves and do not miscarry.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about,
12 They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.
They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)
14 And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us! We desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what will it profit us, if we pray to him?”
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’
16 [[Ye say, ]] “Lo! their prosperity is not secure in their hands! Far from me be the conduct of the wicked!”
Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
17 How often is it, that the lamp of the wicked is put out? And that destruction cometh upon them, And that He dispenseth to them tribulations in his anger?
How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?
18 How often are they as stubble before the wind, Or as chaff, which the whirlwind carrieth away?
Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm?
19 “But” [[say ye]] “God layeth up his iniquity for his children.” Let him requite the offender, and let him feel it!
It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty!
Let his eyes see his own destruction; let him drink for himself the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what concern hath he for his household after him, When the number of his own months is completed?
For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out?
22 Who then shall impart knowledge to God, —To him that judgeth the highest?
Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?
23 One dieth in the fulness of his prosperity, Being wholly at ease and quiet;
One man dies full of vigor, completely secure and at ease.
24 His sides are full of fat, And his bones moist with marrow.
His body is well nourished, and his bones are rich with marrow.
25 Another dieth in bitterness of soul, And hath not tasted pleasure.
Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity.
26 Alike they lie down in the dust, And the worms cover them.
But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices by which ye wrong me.
Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 For ye say, “Where is the house of the oppressor, And where the dwelling-places of the wicked?”
For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’
29 Have ye never inquired of travellers, And do ye not know their tokens,
Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?
30 That the wicked is spared in the day of destruction, And that he is borne to his grave in the day of wrath?
Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.
31 Who will charge him with his conduct to his face, And who will requite him for the evil he hath done?
Who denounces his behavior to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?
32 Even this man is borne with honor to the grave; Yea, he watcheth over his tomb.
He is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.
33 Sweet to him are the sods of the valley: And all men move after him, As multitudes without number before him.
The clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone follows behind him, and those before him are without number.
34 Why then do ye offer your vain consolations? Your answers continue false.
So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”
