Job 21

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¹Then Job responded by saying:

²I beseech you to hear my words and to do penance.

³Permit me, and I will speak, and afterwards, if you see fit, you can laugh at my words.

⁴Is my dispute against man, so that I would have no reason to be discouraged?

⁵Listen to me and be astonished, and place a finger over your mouth.

⁶As for me, when I think it over, I am afraid, and trembling convulses my body.

⁷Why then do the impious live, having been lifted up and strengthened with riches?

⁸They see their offspring continue before them: a commotion of close relatives and of children’s children in their sight.

⁹Their houses have been secure and peaceable, and there is no staff of God over them.

¹⁰Their cattle have conceived and have not miscarried; their cow has given birth and is not deprived of her newborn.

¹¹Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children jump around playfully.

¹²They take up the timbrel and the lyre, and they rejoice at the sound of the organ.

¹³Their days are prolonged in wealth, yet, in an instant, they descend into hell.

¹⁴Who has said to God, “Depart from us, for we do not want the knowledge of your ways.

¹⁵Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And how is it helpful to us if we pray to him?”

¹⁶It is true that their good things are not in their power. May the counsel of the impious be far from me!

¹⁷How often will the lamp of the wicked be extinguished, and a deluge overtake them, and how often will he distribute the afflictions of his wrath?

¹⁸They will be like chaff before the face of the wind, and like ashes that the whirlwind scatters.

¹⁹God will preserve the grief of the father for his sons, and, when he repays, then he will understand.

²⁰His eyes will see his own destruction, and he will drink from the wrath of the Almighty.

²¹For what does he care what happens to his house after him, or if the number of its months are reduced by half?

²²Can anyone teach holy knowledge to God, who judges the exalted?

²³This one dies strong and healthy, rich and happy.

²⁴His gut is full of fat and his bones are moistened with marrow.

²⁵In truth, another dies in bitterness of soul, without any resources.

²⁶And yet they will sleep together in the dust, and worms will cover them.

²⁷Surely, I know your thoughts and your sinful judgments against me.

²⁸For you say, “Where is the house of the ruler, and where are the tabernacles of the impious?”

²⁹Ask any passerby whom you wish, and you will realize that he understands these same things:

³⁰that the evil-doer is reserved for the day of destruction, and he will be led to the day of wrath.

³¹Who will reprove his way to his face, and who will repay him for what he has done?

³²He will be led to the tomb, and he will remain awake in the chaos of the dead.

³³He has been found acceptable to the banks of the River of Lamentation, and he will draw any man towards him, and there are countless before him.

³⁴Therefore, how long will you console me in vain, when your answer is shown to be repugnant to truth?

Job 21

¹But Job answered and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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