Hiob 21

¹Then 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? Or why should I not be impatient?
⁵Turn unto me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
⁶Even when I remember I am affrighted, and horror hath taketh hold on my flesh.
⁷Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
⁸Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
⁹Their houses are safe, without 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 sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
¹³They spend their days in prosperity, and peacefully they go down to the grave.
¹⁴Yet they said 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 prosperity is not in their hand; the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
¹⁷How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? that their calamity cometh upon them? that He distributeth pains in His anger?
¹⁸That they are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm stealeth away?
¹⁹'God layeth up his iniquity for his children!' --let Him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it.
²⁰Let his own eyes see his destruction, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
²¹For what pleasure hath he in his house after him? seeing the number of his months is determined.
²²Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing it is He that judgeth those that are high.
²³One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
²⁴His pails are full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is moistened.
²⁵And another dieth in bitterness of soul, and hath never tasted of good.
²⁶They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm covereth 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 is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?'
²⁹Have ye not asked them that go by the way; and will ye misdeem their tokens,
³⁰That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led forth to the day of wrath?
³¹But who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
³²For he is borne to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.
³³The clods of the valley are sweet unto him, and all men draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
³⁴How then comfort ye me in vain? And as for your answers, there remaineth only faithlessness?

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