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 you, hear you my words, that I may not have this consolation from you.
3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
Raise me, and I will speak; then you shall not laugh me to scorn.
4 I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
What! is my reproof of man? and why should I not be angry?
5 Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
Look upon me, and wonder, laying your hand upon your cheek.
6 Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
For even when I remember, I am alarmed, and pains seize my flesh.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
Therefore do the ungodly live, and grow old even in wealth?
8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
Their seed is according to [their] desire, and their children are in [their] sight.
9 Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.
Their houses are prosperous, neither [have they] any where [cause for] fear, neither is there a scourge from the Lord upon them.
10 His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.
Their cow does not cast her calf, and their [beast] with young is safe, and does not miscarry.
11 They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,
And they remain as an unfailing flock, and their children play before [them], taking up the lute and harp;
12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.
and they rejoice at the voice of a song.
And they spend their days in wealth, and fall asleep in the rest of 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 [such a man] says to the Lord, Depart from me; I desire not to know your ways.
15 What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
What is the Mighty One, that we should serve him? and what profit is there that we should approach him?
16 Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
For their good things were in [their] hands, but he regards not the works of the ungodly.
17 How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
Nevertheless, the lamp of the ungodly also shall be put out, and destruction shall come upon them, and pangs of vengeance shall seize them.
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
And they shall be as chaff before the wind, or as dust which the storm has taken up.
19 God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
Let his substance fail [to supply] his children: [God] shall recompense him, and he shall know it.
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him not be saved by the Lord.
21 For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
For his desire is in his house with him, and the number of his months has been suddenly cut off.
22 To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
Is it not the Lord who teaches understanding and knowledge? and does not he judge murders?
23 This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
One shall die in his perfect strength, and wholly at ease and prosperous;
24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
and his inwards are full of fat, and his marrow is diffused [throughout him].
25 And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
And another dies in bitterness of soul, not eating any good thing.
26 Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
But they lie down in the earth together, and corruption covers them.
27 Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
So I know you, that you presumptuously attack me:
28 For ye say, 'Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
so that you will say, Where is the house of the prince? and where is the covering of the tabernacles of the ungodly?
29 Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
Ask those that go by the way, and do not disown their tokens.
30 That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
For the wicked hastens to the day of destruction: they shall be led away for the day of his vengeance.
31 Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
Who will tell him his way to his face, whereas he has done [it]? who shall recompense him?
32 And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
And he has been led away to the tombs, and he has watched over the heaps.
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 stones of the valley have been sweet to him, and every man shall depart after him, and [there are] innumerable [ones] before him.
34 And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
How then do you comfort me in vain? whereas I have no rest from your molestation.
