Job, 21
1. Job spoke next. He said:
1. Then Job answered:
2. Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you allow me.
2. "Listen carefully to my words, and let this be your consolation.
3. Permit me to speak in my turn; you may jeer when I have spoken.
3. Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.
4. Is my complaint just about a fellow-mortal? I have good grounds to be perturbed!
4. As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient?
5. Give your attention to me; you will be dumbfounded and will place your hand over your mouth.
5. Look at me, and be appalled, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
6. I myself am appalled at the very thought, and my flesh creeps.
6. When I think of it I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.
7. Why do the wicked still live on, their power increasing with their age?
7. Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
8. They see their posterity assured, and their offspring secure before their eyes.
8. Their children are established in their presence, and their offspring before their eyes.
9. The peace of their houses has nothing to fear, the rod that God wields is not for them.
9. Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.
10. No mishap with their bull at breeding-time, nor miscarriage with their cow at calving.
10. Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves, and does not cast her calf.
11. They let their infants frisk like lambs, their children dance like deer.
11. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
12. They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
12. They sing to the tambourine and the lyre, and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
13. They end their lives in happiness and go down in peace to Sheol.
13. They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.
14. Yet these are the ones who say to God, 'Go away! We do not want to learn your ways.
14. They say to God, `Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of thy ways.
15. What is the point of our serving Shaddai? What should we gain from praying to him?'
15. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?'
16. Surely they have won their own prosperity, since God is kept so far from their plans?
16. Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17. Do we often see the light of the wicked put out, or disaster overtake him, or the retribution of God destroy his possessions,
17. "How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains in his anger?
18. or the wind blow him away like a straw, or a whirlwind carry him off like chaff?
18. That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?
19. So God is storing up punishment for his children? But the wicked himself should be punished, and should know it!
19. You say, `God stores up their iniquity for their sons.' Let him recompense it to themselves, that they may know it.
20. He himself should witness his own ruin, and himself drink the anger of Shaddai.
20. Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21. Once he is gone, what joy can he gain from his family, once the number of his months has been cut off?
21. For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off?
22. But who can teach wisdom to God, to him who is judge of those on high?
22. Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those that are on high?
23. And again: one person dies in the fullness of strength, in all possible happiness and ease,
23. One dies in full prosperity, being wholly at ease and secure,
24. thighs padded with fat and the marrow in the bones good and moist.
24. his body full of fat and the marrow of his bones moist.
25. Another dies in bitterness of heart, never having tasted happiness.
25. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of good.
26. They lie together down in the dust and the worms soon cover them both.
26. They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.
27. Oh, I know what is in your minds, what you so spitefully think about me!
27. "Behold, I know your thoughts, and your schemes to wrong me.
28. 'What has become of the great lord's house,' you say, 'where is the tent where the wicked used to live?'
28. For you say, `Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked dwelt?'
29. Have you never questioned people who travel, do you not understand the testimony they give:
29. Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony
30. on the day of disaster, the wicked is spared, on the day of retribution, he is kept safe?
30. that the wicked man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath?
31. And who is there then to reproach him for his deeds and to pay him back for the things he has done?
31. Who declares his way to his face, and who requites him for what he has done?
32. He is carried away to the cemetery, and a watch is kept at his tomb.
32. When he is borne to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.
33. The clods of the ravine lie easy on him, and the whole population walk behind.
33. The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all men follow after him, and those who go before him are innumerable.
34. So what sense is there in your empty consolation? your answers are the left-overs of infidelity!
34. How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood."
