Job 21 (ASV) · Opened

1Then Job answered and said,Then Job answered:

2Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.“Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.

3Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.

4As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?

5Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.

6Even when I remember I am troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh.When I remember, terror takes hold, and my body trembles in horror.

7Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?

8Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes.

9Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.

10Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.Their bulls breed without fail; their cows bear calves and do not miscarry.

11They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about,

12They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.

13They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol.They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.

14And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.

15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’

16Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

17How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That God distributeth sorrows in his anger?How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?

18That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm?

19Ye say, God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.

20Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.Let his eyes see his own destruction; let him drink for himself the wrath of the Almighty.

21For what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off?For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out?

22Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high?Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?

23One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet:One man dies full of vigor, completely secure and at ease.

24His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.His body is well nourished, and his bones are rich with marrow.

25And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good.Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity.

26They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.

27Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me.Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.

28For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’

29Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences,Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?

30That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath?Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.

31Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?Who denounces his behavior to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?

32Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb.He is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.

33The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.The clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone follows behind him, and those before him are without number.

34How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth only falsehood?So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”

Job 21

Job: God Will Punish the Wicked