Job 21
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Job 21
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| Then Job answered and said, | Then Job made answer and said, |
| Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations. | Give attention with care to my words; and let this be your comfort. |
| Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on. | Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me. |
| As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient? | As for me, is my outcry against man? is it then to be wondered at if my spirit is troubled? |
| Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth. | Take note of me and be full of wonder, put your hand on your mouth. |
| Even when I remember I am troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh. | At the very thought of it my flesh is shaking with fear. |
| Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power? | Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power? |
| Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes. | Their children are ever with them, and their offspring before their eyes. |
| Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them. | Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them. |
| Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. | Their ox is ready at all times to give seed; their cow gives birth, without dropping her young. |
| They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance. | They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance, |
| They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe. | They make songs to the instruments of music, and are glad at the sound of the pipe. |
| They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol. | Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld. |
| And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. | Though they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways. |
| What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? | What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him? |
| Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me. | Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.) |
| How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That [God] distributeth sorrows in his anger? | How frequently is the light of the evil-doers put out, or does trouble come on them? how frequently does his wrath take them with cords? |
| That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away? | How frequently are they as dry stems before the wind, or as grass taken away by the storm-wind? |
| [Ye say], God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it: | You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it! |
| Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty. | Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all! |
| For what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off? | For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended? |
| Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high? | Is anyone able to give teaching to God? for he is the judge of those who are on high. |
| One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet: | One comes to his end in complete well-being, full of peace and quiet: |
| His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened. | His buckets are full of milk, and there is no loss of strength in his bones. |
| And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good. | And another comes to his end with a bitter soul, without ever tasting good. |
| They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them. | Together they go down to the dust, and are covered by the worm. |
| Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me. | See, I am conscious of your thoughts, and of your violent purposes against me; |
| For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt? | For you say, Where is the house of the ruler, and where is the tent of the evil-doer? |
| Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences, | Have you not put the question to the travellers, and do you not take note of their experience? |
| That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath? | How the evil man goes free in the day of trouble, and has salvation in the day of wrath? |
| Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done? | Who will make his way clear to his face? and if he has done a thing, who gives him punishment for it? |
| Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb. | He is taken to his last resting-place, and keeps watch over it. |
| The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him. | The earth of the valley covering his bones is sweet to him, and all men come after him, as there were unnumbered before him. |
| How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth [only] falsehood? | Why then do you give me comfort with words in which there is no profit, when you see that there is nothing in your answers but deceit? |
