Job 21
1 Then Job answered,
Then answered Job, and said,
2 “Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
Hear, O hear my speech, and let this be wherewith you give consolations.
3 Allow 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 man? Why shouldn’t I 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. Lay your hand on your mouth.
Turn yourselves unto me, and be astounded, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
Yea, when I think of it, I am terrified, and shuddering seizeth hold of my flesh.
7 “Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, grow strong in power?
8 Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring 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 upon them.
Their houses are at peace without any dread, and no rod of God [cometh] over them.
10 Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.
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. 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 at the sound of the pipe.
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 tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about 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 serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have, if we entreat him urgently?”
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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 the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows 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 are as stubble before the wind, as 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 his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
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 own eyes see his destruction. 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 for his house 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 “Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
Is this fitting God, who teacheth knowledge? him who judgeth those that are highest?
23 One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
That this one dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
24 His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
His vessels being full of healthy fluid, and the marrow of his bones being well moistened:
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of 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 worm covers them.
[And yet] together they must lie down in the dust, and the worms will cover them?
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
Behold, I know your thoughts, and the opinions which ye wrongfully devise against me.
28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked 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 Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,
Have ye not asked the wayfarers? surely their token ye cannot disregard,
30 that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to 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 declare his way to his face? Who will repay him 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 the 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 men will draw after him, as there were innumerable 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 So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
How then will ye comfort me with vanity? and of your answers there remaineth only deception.
