Job 21
1 But Job answered and said:
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 Hear attentively my words, And let this be your consolation.
Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
3 Bear with me, that I may speak; And after I have spoken, mock on!
Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
4 Is my complaint concerning man? Why then should I not be angry?
I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
5 Look upon me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth!
Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 When I think of it, I am confounded; Trembling taketh hold of my flesh.
Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
7 Why is it that the wicked live, Grow old, yea, become mighty in substance?
Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
8 Their children are established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
Their seed is established, Before their face with 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 houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
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 dance.
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.
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! We desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what will it profit us, if we pray to him?”
What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
16 [[Ye say, ]] “Lo! their prosperity is not secure in their hands! Far from me be the conduct of the wicked!”
Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
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 oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
18 How often are they as stubble before the wind, Or as chaff, which the whirlwind carrieth away?
They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
19 “But” [[say ye]] “God layeth up his iniquity for his children.” Let him requite the offender, and let him feel it!
God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty!
His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
21 For what concern hath he for his household after him, When the number of his own months is completed?
For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
22 Who then shall impart knowledge to God, —To him that judgeth the highest?
To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
23 One dieth in the fulness of his prosperity, Being wholly at ease and quiet;
This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His sides are full of fat, And his bones moist with marrow.
His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
25 Another dieth in bitterness of soul, And hath not tasted pleasure.
And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
26 Alike they lie down in the dust, And the worms cover them.
Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices by which ye wrong 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 oppressor, And where 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 never inquired of travellers, And do ye not know their tokens,
Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
30 That the wicked is spared in the day of destruction, And that he is borne to his grave in the day of wrath?
That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
31 Who will charge him with his conduct to his face, And who will requite him for the evil 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 Even this man is borne with honor to the grave; Yea, he watcheth over his tomb.
And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
33 Sweet to him are the sods of the valley: And all men move after him, As multitudes without number before him.
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 Why then do ye offer your vain consolations? Your answers continue false.
And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
