Job 21
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
But 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? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
5 Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
Mark 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 afraid, and trembling 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, are 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 from fear, neither is the rod of Eloah 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 take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment 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.
Therefore they say unto El, 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 good 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 the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! Elohim distributeth sorrows in his anger.
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
19 God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
Eloah layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall 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, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
22 To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
Shall any teach El knowledge? seeing he 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 breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
26 Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover 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 are the dwelling places of the wicked?
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 do ye not know their tokens,
30 That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought 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?
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.
Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the 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 shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are 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, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
