Job 21
1 But Job answered and said,
And Job answers and says:
2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
“Hear my word diligently, And this is your consolation.
3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after I have spoken, mock on.
Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking—you may deride.
4 As for me, [is] my complaint to man? and if [it were so], why should not my spirit be troubled?
[Is] my complaint [against] man? And if [so], why may my temper not become short?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay [your] hand upon [your] mouth.
Turn to me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
Indeed, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh has taken fright.
7 Why do the wicked live, become old, and, are mighty in power?
Why do the wicked live? They have become old, Indeed, they have been mighty in wealth.
8 Their seed is 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] safe from fear, neither [is] the rod of God upon them.
Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God on them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
His bullock breeds without fail. His cow brings forth safely, and does not miscarry.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
They send forth their sucklings as a flock, And their children skip,
12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of a pipe.
They wear out their days in good, And in a moment go down [to] Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
14 Therefore they say to God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
And they say to God, Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Your ways We have not desired.
15 What [is] the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, 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 Lo, their good [is] not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Behold, their good [is] not in their hand (The counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? and [how oft] cometh their destruction upon them? [God] distributeth sorrows in his anger.
How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And their calamity comes on them? He apportions pangs in His anger.
18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a windstorm has stolen away,
19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know [it].
God lays up for his sons his sorrow, He gives repayment to him—and he knows.
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
His own eyes see his destruction, And he drinks of the wrath of the Mighty.
21 For what pleasure [hath] he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
22 Shall [any] teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
Does [one] teach knowledge to God, Since He judges [those] on high?
23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
This [one] dies in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow moistens his bones.
25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
And this [one] dies with a bitter soul, And has not eaten with gladness.
26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
Together they lie down on the dust, And the worm covers them over.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices [which] ye wrongfully imagine against me.
Behold, I have known your thoughts, And the schemes against me you do wrongfully.
28 For ye say, Where [is] the house of the prince? and where [are] the dwelling places of the wicked?
For you say, Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent—the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
Have you not asked those passing by the way? And do you not know their signs?
30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they will be brought forth to the day of wrath.
That the wicked is spared to a day of calamity. They are brought to a day of wrath.
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him [what] he hath done?
Who declares his way to his face? And [for] that which he has done, Who gives repayment to him?
32 Yet he shall be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
And he is brought to the graves, And a watch is kept over the heap.
33 The clods of the valley will be sweet to him, and every man will draw after him, as [there are] innumerable before him.
The clods of the valley have been sweet to him, And he draws every man after him, And there is no numbering before him.
34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
And how do you comfort me [with] vanity, And trespass has been left in your answers?”
