Job 21

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¹But Job answered and said:

²Hear attentively my words, And let this be your consolation.

³Bear with me, that I may speak; And after I have spoken, mock on!

⁴Is my complaint concerning man? Why then should I not be angry?

⁵Look upon me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth!

⁶When I think of it, I am confounded; Trembling taketh hold of my flesh.

⁷Why is it that the wicked live, Grow old, yea, become mighty in substance?

⁸Their children are established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes.

⁹Their houses are in peace, without fear, And the rod of God cometh not 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 sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.

¹³They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment go down to the under-world.

¹⁴And yet they say unto God, "Depart from us! We desire not the knowledge of thy ways!

¹⁵Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what will it profit us, if we pray to him?"

¹⁶[Ye say,] "Lo! their prosperity is not secure in their hands! Far from me be the conduct of the wicked!"

¹⁷How often is it, that the lamp of the wicked is put out? And that destruction cometh upon them, And that He dispenseth to them tribulations in his anger?

¹⁸How often are they as stubble before the wind, Or as chaff, which the whirlwind carrieth away?

¹⁹"But" [say ye] "God layeth up his iniquity for his children." Let him requite the offender, and let him feel it!

²⁰Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty!

²¹For what concern hath he for his household after him, When the number of his own months is completed?

²²Who then shall impart knowledge to God,—To him that judgeth the highest?

²³One dieth in the fulness of his prosperity, Being wholly at ease and quiet;

²⁴His sides are full of fat, And his bones moist with marrow.

²⁵Another dieth in bitterness of soul, And hath not tasted pleasure.

²⁶Alike they lie down in the dust, And the worms cover them.

²⁷Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices by which ye wrong me.

²⁸For ye say, "Where is the house of the oppressor, And where the dwelling-places of the wicked?"

²⁹Have ye never inquired of travellers, And do ye not know their tokens,

³⁰That the wicked is spared in the day of destruction, And that he is borne to his grave in the day of wrath?

³¹Who will charge him with his conduct to his face, And who will requite him for the evil he hath done?

³²Even this man is borne with honor to the grave; Yea, he watcheth over his tomb.

³³Sweet to him are the sods of the valley: And all men move after him, As multitudes without number before him.

³⁴Why then do ye offer your vain consolations? Your answers continue false.

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?