Job 21
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
Then Job responded by saying:
2 Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
I beseech you to hear my words and to do penance.
3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
Permit me, and I will speak, and afterwards, if you see fit, you can laugh at my words.
4 I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
Is my dispute against man, so that I would have no reason to be discouraged?
5 Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
Listen to me and be astonished, and place a finger over your mouth.
6 Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
As for me, when I think it over, I am afraid, and trembling convulses my body.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
Why then do the impious live, having been lifted up and strengthened with riches?
8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
They see their offspring continue before them: a commotion of close relatives and of children’s children in their sight.
9 Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.
Their houses have been secure and peaceable, and there is no staff of God over them.
10 His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.
Their cattle have conceived and have not miscarried; their cow has given birth and is not deprived of her newborn.
11 They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,
Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children jump around playfully.
12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.
They take up the timbrel and the lyre, and they rejoice at the sound of the organ.
Their days are prolonged in wealth, yet, in an instant, they descend into hell. (Sheol h7585)
14 And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.
Who has said to God, “Depart from us, for we do not want the knowledge of your ways.
15 What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And how is it helpful to us if we pray to him?”
16 Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
It is true that their good things are not in their power. May the counsel of the impious be far from me!
17 How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
How often will the lamp of the wicked be extinguished, and a deluge overtake them, and how often will he distribute the afflictions of his wrath?
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
They will be like chaff before the face of the wind, and like ashes that the whirlwind scatters.
19 God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
God will preserve the grief of the father for his sons, and, when he repays, then he will understand.
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
His eyes will see his own destruction, and he will drink from the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
For what does he care what happens to his house after him, or if the number of its months are reduced by half?
22 To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
Can anyone teach holy knowledge to God, who judges the exalted?
23 This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
This one dies strong and healthy, rich and happy.
24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
His gut is full of fat and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
In truth, another dies in bitterness of soul, without any resources.
26 Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
And yet they will sleep together in the dust, and worms will cover them.
27 Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
Surely, I know your thoughts and your sinful judgments against me.
28 For ye say, 'Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
For you say, “Where is the house of the ruler, and where are the tabernacles of the impious?”
29 Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
Ask any passerby whom you wish, and you will realize that he understands these same things:
30 That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
that the evil-doer is reserved for the day of destruction, and he will be led to the day of wrath.
31 Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
Who will reprove his way to his face, and who will repay him for what he has done?
32 And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
He will be led to the tomb, and he will remain awake in the chaos of the dead.
33 Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.
He has been found acceptable to the banks of the River of Lamentation, and he will draw any man towards him, and there are countless before him.
34 And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
Therefore, how long will you console me in vain, when your answer is shown to be repugnant to truth?
