Job 21
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
Then Job answered and said:
2 Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
Hear diligently my speech; and let this be your consolations.
3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
Suffer me, that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
4 I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
As for me, is my complaint to man? Or why should I not be impatient?
5 Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
Turn unto me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
Even when I remember I am affrighted, and horror hath taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.
Their houses are safe, without fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.
They sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity, and peacefully they go down to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
14 And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.
Yet they said unto God: 'Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.
15 What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?' —
16 Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand; the counsel of the wicked is 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 oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? that their calamity cometh upon them? that He distributeth pains in His anger?
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
That they are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm stealeth away?
19 God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
'God layeth up his iniquity for his children!' — let Him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it.
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
Let his own eyes see his destruction, and let him drink of 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 pleasure hath he in his house after him? seeing the number of his months is determined.
22 To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing it is He that judgeth those that are high.
23 This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
His pails are full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is moistened.
25 And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
And another dieth in bitterness of soul, and hath never tasted of good.
26 Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm covereth them.
27 Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
28 For ye say, 'Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
For ye say: 'Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?'
29 Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
Have ye not asked them that go by the way; and will ye misdeem their tokens,
30 That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led forth 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?
But who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
32 And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
For he is borne to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.
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.
The clods of the valley are sweet unto him, and all men draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
34 And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
How then comfort ye me in vain? And as for your answers, there remaineth only faithlessness?
