Job 21
1 Hiob antwortete und sprach:
Then Job replied,
2 Höret doch zu meiner Rede und lasset euch raten!
“Listen to what I say, all [three] of you; that is the only thing that you can do that will comfort me.
3 Vertraget mich, daß ich auch rede, und spottet danach mein.
Be patient with me, and allow me to speak. Then, after I am finished speaking, you can continue to make fun of me.
4 Handele ich denn mit einem Menschen, daß mein Mut hierin nicht sollte unwillig sein?
“It is certainly not [RHQ] people against whom I am complaining, [but God] And it is certainly [RHQ] right for me to be impatient!
5 Kehret euch her zu mir; ihr werdet sauer sehen und die Hand aufs Maul legen müssen.
Look at me! Does what you see not cause you to be appalled and to put your hands over your mouths [and say no more]?
6 Wenn ich daran gedenke, so erschrecke ich, und Zittern kommt mein Fleisch an.
When I think about [what has happened to me], I am frightened and my entire body shakes.
7 Warum leben denn die Gottlosen, werden alt und nehmen zu mit Gütern?
“[But let me ask this: ] ‘Why do wicked people continue to live, and become prosperous, and not die until they are very old?’
8 Ihr Same ist sicher um sie her, und ihre Nachkömmlinge sind bei ihnen.
They have their children around them, and they watch them while they [grow up and] start to live in their own houses, and they enjoy their grandchildren.
9 Ihr Haus hat Frieden vor der Furcht, und Gottes Rute ist nicht über ihnen.
Wicked people live in their own houses without being afraid, and God does not punish [MTY] them.
10 Seine Ochsen lässet man zu, und mißrät ihm nicht; seine Kuh kalbet und ist nicht unfruchtbar.
Their bulls always mate with the cows successfully, and the cows give birth to calves and never miscarry.
11 Ihre jungen Kinder gehen aus wie eine Herde, und ihre Kinder lecken.
Wicked people send their young children outside [to play], and the children play [happily] like [SIM] lambs [in a pasture].
12 Sie jauchzen mit Pauken und Harfen und sind fröhlich mit Pfeifen.
Some children dance and sing, while others shake tambourines and play lyres, and they are happy when they hear people playing flutes.
13 Sie werden alt bei guten Tagen und erschrecken kaum einen Augenblick vor der Hölle, (Sheol h7585)
Wicked people enjoy having good things all the time that they are alive, and they die quietly/peacefully and go down to the place of the dead. (Sheol h7585)
14 die doch sagen zu Gott: Hebe dich von uns, wir wollen von deinen Wegen nicht wissen.
While they are alive, they say to God, ‘Do not bother us; we do not want to know how you want us to conduct our lives!
15 Wer ist der Allmächtige, daß wir ihm dienen sollten, oder was sind wir gebessert, so wir ihn anrufen?
Why do you, Almighty God, think that we should serve you? (What advantage do we get if we pray to you?/It is useless for us to pray to you.) [RHQ]’
16 Aber siehe, ihr Gut stehet nicht in ihren Händen; darum soll der Gottlosen Sinn ferne von mir sein.
Think about it: Wicked people think that it is because of what they have done that they have become prosperous, but I do not understand why they think like that.
17 Wie wird die Leuchte der Gottlosen verlöschen und ihr Unglück über sie kommen! Er wird Herzeleid austeilen in seinem Zorn.
(“How often does it happen that wicked people die [MET] before they are old?/Very seldom do wicked people die [MET] before they are old.) [RHQ] (Do they ever experience disasters?/They seldom experience disasters.) [RHQ] (Does God ever punish them because of being very angry with them?/God never punishes them because of being very angry with them.) [RHQ]
18 Sie werden sein wie Stoppeln vor dem Winde und wie Spreu, die der Sturmwind wegführet.
[He does not blow] them away like wind blows away straw; they are never carried off by a whirlwind.
19 Gott behält desselben Unglück auf seine Kinder. Wenn er's ihm vergelten wird, so wird man's inne werden.
You say, ‘When people have committed sins, God waits and punishes their children because of those sins;’ but [I say that] God should punish those who sin, [not their children, ] in order that the sinners will know [that it is because of their own sins that they are being punished].
20 Seine Augen werden sein Verderben sehen, und vom Grimm des Allmächtigen wird er trinken.
I hope/wish that wicked people will experience themselves being destroyed, that they will experience being punished by an angry Almighty God.
21 Denn wer wird Gefallen haben an seinem Hause nach ihm? Und die Zahl seiner Monden wird kaum halb bleiben.
After wicked people are dead, they are not at all concerned [RHQ] about what happens to their families [MTY].
22 Wer will Gott lehren, der auch die Hohen richtet?
“Since God judges [everyone, ] even those that are in heaven, (who can teach God anything?/certainly no one can teach God anything.) [RHQ]
23 Dieser stirbt frisch und gesund in allem Reichtum und voller Genüge;
Some people die while they are very healthy, while they are peaceful, when they are not afraid of anything.
24 sein Melkfaß ist voll Milch, und seine Gebeine werden gemästet mit Mark;
Their bodies are fat; their bones are strong.
25 jener aber stirbt mit betrübter Seele und hat nie mit Freuden gegessen;
Other people die being very miserable; they have never experienced good things happening to them.
26 und liegen gleich miteinander in der Erde, und Würmer decken sie zu.
But both rich and poor people die and are buried, and maggots eat their bodies. [Everyone dies, so it is clear that dying is not always the punishment for being wicked].
27 Siehe, ich kenne eure Gedanken wohl und euer frevel Vornehmen wider mich.
“Listen, I know what you [three] are thinking. I know the evil things that you plan to do to me.
28 Denn ihr sprechet: Wo ist das Haus des Fürsten, und wo ist die Hütte, da die Gottlosen wohneten?
You say, ‘What happened to the tents in which wicked people were living? The houses of evil rulers have been destroyed!’
29 Redet ihr doch davon wie der gemeine Pöbel und merket nicht, was jener Wesen bedeutet.
But have you never inquired of people who travel much? Do you not believe their reports about what they have seen,
30 Denn der Böse wird behalten auf den Tag des Verderbens, und auf den Tag des Grimms bleibet er.
that wicked people usually do not suffer at the time when there are great disasters; that wicked people are the ones who are rescued when God is angry [and punishes people] [MTY]?
31 Wer will sagen, was er verdienet, wenn man's äußerlich ansiehet? Wer will ihm vergelten, was er tut?
There is no one [RHQ] who accuses wicked people, and there is no one who (pays them back/gives them the punishment that they deserve) for all the evil things that they have done.
32 Aber er wird zum Grabe gerissen und muß bleiben bei dem Haufen.
The corpses of wicked people are carried to their graves, and people are put there to guard those graves.
33 Es gefiel ihm wohl der Schlamm des Bachs, und alle Menschen werden ihm nachgezogen; und derer, die vor ihm gewesen sind, ist keine Zahl.
A huge number [HYP] of people go to the grave site. Some go in front of the procession and some come behind. And the clods of dirt thrown on the graves of those wicked people who have died are like a nice blanket.
34 Wie tröstet ihr mich so vergeblich, und eure Antwort findet sich unrecht.
“So how can you console me by talking nonsense? Every reply that you make is full of lies!”
