< Job 21 >

1 Then Job made answer and said,
ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ιωβ λέγει
2 Give attention with care to my words; and let this be your comfort.
ἀκούσατε ἀκούσατέ μου τῶν λόγων ἵνα μὴ ᾖ μοι παρ’ ὑμῶν αὕτη ἡ παράκλησις
3 Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.
ἄρατέ με ἐγὼ δὲ λαλήσω εἶτ’ οὐ καταγελάσετέ μου
4 As for me, is my outcry against man? is it then to be wondered at if my spirit is troubled?
τί γάρ μὴ ἀνθρώπου μου ἡ ἔλεγξις ἢ διὰ τί οὐ θυμωθήσομαι
5 Take note of me and be full of wonder, put your hand on your mouth.
εἰσβλέψαντες εἰς ἐμὲ θαυμάσατε χεῖρα θέντες ἐπὶ σιαγόνι
6 At the very thought of it my flesh is shaking with fear.
ἐάν τε γὰρ μνησθῶ ἐσπούδακα ἔχουσιν δέ μου τὰς σάρκας ὀδύναι
7 Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power?
διὰ τί ἀσεβεῖς ζῶσιν πεπαλαίωνται δὲ καὶ ἐν πλούτῳ
8 Their children are ever with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
ὁ σπόρος αὐτῶν κατὰ ψυχήν τὰ δὲ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς
9 Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them.
οἱ οἶκοι αὐτῶν εὐθηνοῦσιν φόβος δὲ οὐδαμοῦ μάστιξ δὲ παρὰ κυρίου οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς
10 Their ox is ready at all times to give seed; their cow gives birth, without dropping her young.
ἡ βοῦς αὐτῶν οὐκ ὠμοτόκησεν διεσώθη δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα καὶ οὐκ ἔσφαλεν
11 They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance,
μένουσιν δὲ ὡς πρόβατα αἰώνια τὰ δὲ παιδία αὐτῶν προσπαίζουσιν
12 They make songs to the instruments of music, and are glad at the sound of the pipe.
ἀναλαβόντες ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάραν καὶ εὐφραίνονται φωνῇ ψαλμοῦ
13 Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
συνετέλεσαν δὲ ἐν ἀγαθοῖς τὸν βίον αὐτῶν ἐν δὲ ἀναπαύσει ᾅδου ἐκοιμήθησαν (Sheol h7585)
14 Though they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways.
λέγει δὲ κυρίῳ ἀπόστα ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ ὁδούς σου εἰδέναι οὐ βούλομαι
15 What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him?
τί ἱκανός ὅτι δουλεύσομεν αὐτῷ καὶ τίς ὠφέλεια ὅτι ἀπαντήσομεν αὐτῷ
16 Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)
ἐν χερσὶν γὰρ ἦν αὐτῶν τὰ ἀγαθά ἔργα δὲ ἀσεβῶν οὐκ ἐφορᾷ
17 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?
οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσεβῶν λύχνος σβεσθήσεται ἐπελεύσεται δὲ αὐτοῖς ἡ καταστροφή ὠδῖνες δὲ αὐτοὺς ἕξουσιν ἀπὸ ὀργῆς
18 How frequently are they as dry stems before the wind, or as grass taken away by the storm-wind?
ἔσονται δὲ ὥσπερ ἄχυρα πρὸ ἀνέμου ἢ ὥσπερ κονιορτός ὃν ὑφείλατο λαῖλαψ
19 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!
ἐκλίποι υἱοὺς τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ ἀνταποδώσει πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ γνώσεται
20 Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all!
ἴδοισαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σφαγήν ἀπὸ δὲ κυρίου μὴ διασωθείη
21 For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended?
ὅτι τί θέλημα αὐτοῦ ἐν οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ μετ’ αὐτόν καὶ ἀριθμοὶ μηνῶν αὐτοῦ διῃρέθησαν
22 Is anyone able to give teaching to God? for he is the judge of those who are on high.
πότερον οὐχὶ ὁ κύριός ἐστιν ὁ διδάσκων σύνεσιν καὶ ἐπιστήμην αὐτὸς δὲ φόνους διακρινεῖ
23 One comes to his end in complete well-being, full of peace and quiet:
οὗτος ἀποθανεῖται ἐν κράτει ἁπλοσύνης αὐτοῦ ὅλος δὲ εὐπαθῶν καὶ εὐθηνῶν
24 His buckets are full of milk, and there is no loss of strength in his bones.
τὰ δὲ ἔγκατα αὐτοῦ πλήρη στέατος μυελὸς δὲ αὐτοῦ διαχεῖται
25 And another comes to his end with a bitter soul, without ever tasting good.
ὁ δὲ τελευτᾷ ὑπὸ πικρίας ψυχῆς οὐ φαγὼν οὐδὲν ἀγαθόν
26 Together they go down to the dust, and are covered by the worm.
ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ ἐπὶ γῆς κοιμῶνται σαπρία δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐκάλυψεν
27 See, I am conscious of your thoughts, and of your violent purposes against me;
ὥστε οἶδα ὑμᾶς ὅτι τόλμῃ ἐπίκεισθέ μοι
28 For you say, Where is the house of the ruler, and where is the tent of the evil-doer?
ὅτι ἐρεῖτε ποῦ ἐστιν οἶκος ἄρχοντος καὶ ποῦ ἐστιν ἡ σκέπη τῶν σκηνωμάτων τῶν ἀσεβῶν
29 Have you not put the question to the travellers, and do you not take note of their experience?
ἐρωτήσατε παραπορευομένους ὁδόν καὶ τὰ σημεῖα αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀπαλλοτριώσετε
30 How the evil man goes free in the day of trouble, and has salvation in the day of wrath?
ὅτι εἰς ἡμέραν ἀπωλείας κουφίζεται ὁ πονηρός εἰς ἡμέραν ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ ἀπαχθήσονται
31 Who will make his way clear to his face? and if he has done a thing, who gives him punishment for it?
τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ ἐπὶ προσώπου αὐτοῦ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν τίς ἀνταποδώσει αὐτῷ
32 He is taken to his last resting-place, and keeps watch over it.
καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς τάφους ἀπηνέχθη καὶ ἐπὶ σορῷ ἠγρύπνησεν
33 The earth of the valley covering his bones is sweet to him, and all men come after him, as there were unnumbered before him.
ἐγλυκάνθησαν αὐτῷ χάλικες χειμάρρου καὶ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ἀπελεύσεται καὶ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ ἀναρίθμητοι
34 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?
πῶς δὲ παρακαλεῖτέ με κενά τὸ δὲ ἐμὲ καταπαύσασθαι ἀφ’ ὑμῶν οὐδέν

< Job 21 >