Job 21
1 Then responded Job, and said: —
But Job answered and said:
2 Hear ye patiently my words, and let this be your consolation:
Hear attentively my words, And let this be your consolation.
3 Suffer me, that, I, may speak, and, after I have spoken, thou canst mock!
Bear with me, that I may speak; And after I have spoken, mock on!
4 Did, I, unto man, make my complaint? Wherefore, then, should my spirit not be impatient?
Is my complaint concerning man? Why then should I not be angry?
5 Turn round to me, and be astonished, and lay hand on mouth!
Look upon me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth!
6 When I call to mind, then am I dismayed, and there seizeth my flesh a shuddering: —
When I think of it, I am confounded; Trembling taketh hold of my flesh.
7 Wherefore do, lawless men, live, advance in years, even wax mighty in power?
Why is it that the wicked live, Grow old, yea, become mighty in substance?
8 Their seed, is established in their sight, along with them, yea their offspring, before their eyes;
Their children are established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses, are at peace, without dread, neither is, the rod of GOD, upon them;
Their houses are in peace, without fear, And the rod of God cometh not upon them.
10 His bull, covereth, and causeth not aversion, His cow safely calveth, and casteth not her young;
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send forth—like a flock—their young ones, and, their children, skip about for joy;
They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
12 They rejoice aloud as [with] timbrel and lyre, and make merry to the sound of the pipe;
They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
13 They complete, in prosperity, their days, and, in a moment to hades, they sink down. (Sheol h7585)
They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment go down to the under-world. (Sheol h7585)
14 Yet they said unto GOD, Depart from us, and, In the knowledge of thy ways, find we no pleasure.
And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us! We desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? Or what shall we profit, that we should urge him?
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what will it profit us, if we pray to him?”
16 Lo! not in their own hand, is their welfare, The counsel of lawless men, is far from me!
[[Ye say, ]] “Lo! their prosperity is not secure in their hands! Far from me be the conduct of the wicked!”
17 How oft, the lamp of the lawless, goeth out, and their calamity, cometh upon them, Sorrows, apportioneth he in his anger;
How 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?
18 They become as straw before the wind, and as chaff, which the storm stealeth away.
How often are they as stubble before the wind, Or as chaff, which the whirlwind carrieth away?
19 Shall, GOD, reserve, for his children, his sorrow? Let him recompense him so that he may know it;
“But” [[say ye]] “God layeth up his iniquity for his children.” Let him requite the offender, and let him feel it!
20 His own eyes, shall see his misfortune, and, the wrath of the Almighty, shall he drink.
Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty!
21 For what shall be his pleasure in his house after him, when, the number of his months, is cut in twain?
For what concern hath he for his household after him, When the number of his own months is completed?
22 Is it, to GOD, one can teach knowledge, seeing that, he, shall judge, them who are on high?
Who then shall impart knowledge to God, —To him that judgeth the highest?
23 This, man dieth, in the very perfection of his prosperity, wholly tranquil and secure;
One dieth in the fulness of his prosperity, Being wholly at ease and quiet;
24 His veins, are filled with nourishment, and, the marrow of his bones, is fresh;
His sides are full of fat, And his bones moist with marrow.
25 Whereas, this other man, dieth, in bitterness of soul, and hath never tasted good fortune:
Another dieth in bitterness of soul, And hath not tasted pleasure.
26 Together, in the dust, they lie down, and, the worm, spreadeth a covering over them.
Alike they lie down in the dust, And the worms cover them.
27 Lo! I know your plans, and the devices, wherewith ye would do me violence!
Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices by which ye wrong me.
28 For ye say, Where is the house of the noble-minded? And where the dwelling-tent of the lawless?
For ye say, “Where is the house of the oppressor, And where the dwelling-places of the wicked?”
29 Have ye not asked the passers-by in the way? And, their signs, can ye not recognise?
Have ye never inquired of travellers, And do ye not know their tokens,
30 That, to the day of calamity, is the wicked reserved, to the day of indignant visitation, are they led.
That the wicked is spared in the day of destruction, And that he is borne to his grave in the day of wrath?
31 Who can declare—to his face—his way? And, what, he, hath done, who shall recompense to him?
Who will charge him with his conduct to his face, And who will requite him for the evil he hath done?
32 Yet, he, to the graves, is borne, and, over the tomb, one keepeth watch;
Even this man is borne with honor to the grave; Yea, he watcheth over his tomb.
33 Pleasant to him are the mounds of the torrent-bed, —and, after him, doth every man march, as, before him, there were without number.
Sweet to him are the sods of the valley: And all men move after him, As multitudes without number before him.
34 How then should ye comfort me with vanity, since, as for your replies, there lurketh, [in them] treachery?
Why then do ye offer your vain consolations? Your answers continue false.
