Job 21

1. ¹And Job answereth and saith: --
2. ²Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
3. ³Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking -- ye may deride.
4. ⁴I -- to man `is' my complaint? and if `so', wherefore May not my temper become short?
5. ⁵Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6. ⁶Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
7. ⁷Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
8. ⁸Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
9. ⁹Their houses `are' peace without fear, Nor `is' a rod of God upon them.
10. ¹⁰His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.
11. ¹¹They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,
12. ¹²They lift `themselves' up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.
13. ¹³They wear out in good their days, And in a moment `to' Sheol go down.
14. ¹⁴And they say to God, `Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.
15. ¹⁵What `is' the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
16. ¹⁶Lo, not in their hand `is' their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
17. ¹⁷How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
18. ¹⁸They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
19. ¹⁹God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him -- and he knoweth.
20. ²⁰His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
21. ²¹For what `is' his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
22. ²²To God doth `one' teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
23. ²³This `one' dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
24. ²⁴His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
25. ²⁵And this `one' dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
26. ²⁶Together -- on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
27. ²⁷Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
28. ²⁸For ye say, `Where `is' the house of the noble? And where the tent -- The tabernacles of the wicked?'
29. ²⁹Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
30. ³⁰That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
31. ³¹Who doth declare to his face his way? And `for' that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
32. ³²And he -- to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
33. ³³Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.
34. ³⁴And how do ye comfort me `with' vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?

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