Job 21

1 Then Job answered:

2 “Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.

3 Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.

4 Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?

5 Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.

6 When I remember, terror takes hold, and my body trembles in horror.

7 Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?

8 Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes.

9 Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.

10 Their bulls breed without fail; their cows bear calves and do not miscarry.

11 They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about,

12 singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.

13 They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.

14 Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.

15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’

16 Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

17 How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?

18 Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm?

19 It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.

20 Let his eyes see his own destruction; let him drink for himself the wrath of the Almighty.

21 For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out?

22 Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?

23 One man dies full of vigor, completely secure and at ease.

24 His body is well nourished, and his bones are rich with marrow.

25 Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity.

26 But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.

27 Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.

28 For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’

29 Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?

30 Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.

31 Who denounces his behavior to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?

32 He is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.

33 The clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone follows behind him, and those before him are without number.

34 So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”

1 ¶ But Job answered and said,

2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

4 As for me, [is] my complaint to man? and if [it were so], why should not my spirit be troubled?

5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay [your] hand upon [your] mouth.

6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

7 ¶ Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

9 Their houses [are] safe from fear, neither [is] the rod of God upon them.

10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

15 What [is] the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

16 Lo, their good [is] not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17 ¶ How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and [how oft] cometh their destruction upon them! [God] distributeth sorrows in his anger.

18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know [it].

20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21 For what pleasure [hath] he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?

22 Shall [any] teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.

23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.

25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.

26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

27 ¶ Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices [which] ye wrongfully imagine against me.

28 For ye say, Where [is] the house of the prince? and where [are] the dwelling places of the wicked?

29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him [what] he hath done?

32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.

33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as [there are] innumerable before him.

34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?

1 Job answered and said:

2 Hearken ye unto my speech, and be advised.

3 Trust me to speak also, and afterward mock me.

4 Do I then deal with a man, that my courage should not be unwilling in this?

5 Turn ye hither unto me: ye shall see sore, and shall put your hand to your mouth.

6 When I remember it, I am afraid, and trembling cometh upon my flesh.

7 Why then do the wicked live, and grow old, and increase in goods?

8 Their seed is safe round about them, and their offspring are with them.

9 Their house is at peace from fear, and God's rod is not upon them.

10 They feed his oxen, and do not wrong him: his heifer calves, and is not barren.

11 Her young children go forth as a flock, and her children lick.

12 They shout with timbrels and harps, and are glad with pipes.

13 They wax old in good days, and are scarce a moment afraid of hell;

14 Who say unto God, Be thou removed from us; we will depart from thy ways.

15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? or what are we improved, if we call upon him?

16 But, behold, their goods are not in their hands: therefore let the mind of the wicked be far from me.

17 How shall the light of the wicked be put out, and their calamity come upon them! He shall deal out heartache in his wrath.

18 They shall be as stubble before the wind, and as chaff which the whirlwind leadeth away.

19 God hath reserved this calamity for his children. When he shall repay him, it shall be remembered.

20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21 For who shall have pleasure in his house after him? And the number of his moons shall hardly remain half.

22 Who will teach GOD, who also judges the high ones?

23 this one dies fresh and healthy in all riches and full sufficiency;

24 His milking vessel is full of milk, and his bones are fattened with marrow;

25 But he dieth with a sorrowful soul, and never did eat with joy;

26 and lie alike in the earth, and worms cover them.

27 Behold, I know your thoughts well, and your wicked devices against me.

28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where is the tabernacle where the wicked dwell?

29 But ye speak of it as the common rabble, and know not what that being is.

30 For the wicked shall be kept unto the day of destruction, and shall abide in the day of wrath.

31 Who shall say what he deserveth, when he looketh upon it outwardly? Who shall recompense him for what he doeth?

32 But he is carried away to the grave, and abideth with the multitude.

33 The mud of the brook pleased him well, and all men are drawn after him: and of them that were before him there is no number.

34 How in vain do ye comfort me, and your answer is found unjust.