Job 21
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then answered Job, and said,
2 “Listen carefully to my words, and let this be the comfort you offer to me.
Hear, O hear my speech, and let this be wherewith you give consolations.
3 Put up with me, and I also will speak; after I have spoken, mock on.
Bear with me that I may indeed speak: and after my speaking, then canst thou mock.
4 As for me, is my complaint to a person? Why should I not be impatient?
As for me, —is against man my complaint? and if this be so, why should my spirit not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
Turn yourselves unto me, and be astounded, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 When I think about my sufferings, I am terrified, and trembling seizes my body.
Yea, when I think of it, I am terrified, and shuddering seizeth hold of my flesh.
7 Why do wicked people continue to live, become old, and grow mighty in power?
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, grow strong in power?
8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring are established before their eyes.
Their seed is firmly established in their presence with them. their offspring are before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear; neither is the rod of God on them.
Their houses are at peace without any dread, and no rod of God [cometh] over them.
10 Their bull breeds; it does not fail to do so; their cow gives birth and does not lose her calf prematurely.
The bull of each one gendereth, and disappointeth not: the cow of each one calveth, and casteth not her young.
11 They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children skip about [with joy].
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp and rejoice with the music of the flute.
They sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They wear out their days in happiness, and in a moment they go down to the nether world. (Sheol h7585)
14 They say to God, 'Depart from us for we do not wish any knowledge of your ways.
And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us; and the knowledge of thy ways we desire not.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should worship him? What advantage would we get if we prayed to him?'
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have, if we entreat him urgently?”
16 See, is not their prosperity in their own hands? I have nothing to do with the advice of wicked people.
Lo, not in their hand doth their happiness rest! The counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
17 How often is it that the lamp of wicked people is put out, or that their calamity comes upon them? How often does it happen that God distributes sorrows to them in his anger?
How often is the lamp of the wicked quenched? and how often cometh over them their calamity? and doth [God] distribute their lot in his anger?
18 How often is it that they become like stubble before the wind or like chaff that the storm carries away?
Are they as straw before the wind, and as chaff which the stealeth away?
19 You say, 'God lays up one's guilt for his children to pay.' Let him pay it himself, so that he might know his guilt.
Should God lay up for his children his wrong-doing? it were better that he reward him, that he might know it himself.
20 Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
His own eyes ought to see his downfall, and from the wrath of the Almighty ought he to drink.
21 For what does he care about his family after him when the number of his months is cut off?
For what care hath he for his household after him, when the number of his months is all apportioned to him?
22 Can anyone teach God knowledge since he judges even those who are high?
Is this fitting God, who teacheth knowledge? him who judgeth those that are highest?
23 One man dies in his full strength, being completely quiet and at ease.
That this one dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
24 His body is full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is moist.
His vessels being full of healthy fluid, and the marrow of his bones being well moistened:
25 Another man dies in bitterness of soul, one who has never experienced anything good.
While this other dieth with an embittered soul, and hath never partaken of any happiness;
26 They lie down alike in the dust; the worms cover them both.
[And yet] together they must lie down in the dust, and the worms will cover them?
27 See, I know your thoughts, and the ways in which you wish to wrong me.
Behold, I know your thoughts, and the opinions which ye wrongfully devise against me.
28 For you say, 'Where now is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked man once lived?'
For ye say, Where is the house of the noble-minded? and where is the tent of the dwelling-places of the wicked?
29 Have you never asked traveling people? Do you not know the evidence they can tell,
Have ye not asked the wayfarers? surely their token ye cannot disregard,
30 that the wicked man is kept from the day of calamity, and that he is led away from the day of wrath?
That the bad man is reserved for the day of calamity, [that the wicked] are carried forward to the day of wrath.
31 Who will condemn the wicked man's way to his face? Who will repay him for what he has done?
[But] who will tell him to his face of his way? and who will repay him what he hath done?
32 Yet he will be borne to the grave; men will keep watch over his tomb.
Yea he will indeed be carried to the grave, and men will quickly think of his monument:
33 The clods of the valley will be sweet to him; all people will follow after him, as there were innumerable people before him.
Sweet are to him the clods of the valley; and after him succeedeth every man, as those that were before him are without number.
34 How then do you comfort me with nonsense, since in your answers there is nothing but falsehood?”
How then will ye comfort me with vanity? and of your answers there remaineth only deception.
