Job 21

1Then Job answered, and said:

1Then Job made answer and said,

1And Job answereth and saith: --

2Hear, I beseech you, my words, and do penance.

2Give attention with care to my words; and let this be your comfort.

2Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.

3Suffer me, and I will speak, and after, if you please, laugh at my words.

3Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.

3Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking--ye may deride.

4Is my debate against man, that I should not have just reason to be troubled?

4As for me, is my outcry against man? is it then to be wondered at if my spirit is troubled?

4I--to man <FI>is<Fi> my complaint? and if <FI>so<Fi> , wherefore May not my temper become short?

5Hearken to me and be astonished, and lay your finger on your mouth.

5Take note of me and be full of wonder, put your hand on your mouth.

5Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.

6As for me, when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

6At the very thought of it my flesh is shaking with fear.

6Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.

7Why then do the wicked live, are they advanced, and strengthened with riches?

7Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power?

7Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.

8Their seed continueth before them, a multitude of kinsmen, and of children's children in their sight.

8Their children are ever with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

8Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.

9Their houses are secure and peaceable, and the rod of God is not upon them.

9Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them.

9Their houses <FI>are<Fi> peace without fear, Nor <FI>is<Fi> a rod of God upon them.

10Their cattle have conceived, and failed not: their cow has calved, and is not deprived of her fruit.

10Their ox is ready at all times to give seed; their cow gives birth, without dropping her young.

10His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.

11Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children dance and play.

11They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance,

11They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,

12They take the timbrel, and the harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

12They make songs to the instruments of music, and are glad at the sound of the pipe.

12They lift <FI>themselves<Fi> up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.

13They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell.

13Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld.

13They wear out in good their days, And in a moment <FI>to<Fi> Sheol go down.

14Who have said to God: Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

14Though they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways.

14And they say to God, `Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.

15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what doth it profit us if we pray to him?

15What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him?

15What <FI>is<Fi> the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'

16Yet because their good things are not in their hand, may the counsel of the wicked be far from me.

16Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)

16Lo, not in their hand <FI>is<Fi> their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

17How often shall the lamp of the wicked be put out, and a deluge come upon them, and he shall distribute the sorrows of his wrath?

17How frequently is the light of the evil-doers put out, or does trouble come on them? how frequently does his wrath take them with cords?

17How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.

18They shall be as chaff before the face of the wind, and as ashes which the whirlwind scattereth.

18How frequently are they as dry stems before the wind, or as grass taken away by the storm-wind?

18They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,

19God shall lay up the sorrow of the father for his children: and when he shall repay, then shall he know.

19You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it!

19God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him--and he knoweth.

20His eyes shall see his own destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

20Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all!

20His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.

21For what is it to him what befalleth his house after him: and if the number of his months be diminished by one half?

21For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended?

21For what <FI>is<Fi> his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?

22Shall any one teach God knowledge, who judgeth those that are high?

22Is anyone able to give teaching to God? for he is the judge of those who are on high.

22To God doth <FI>one<Fi> teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?

23One man dieth strong, and hale, rich and happy.

23One comes to his end in complete well-being, full of peace and quiet:

23This <FI>one<Fi> dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.

24His bowels are full of fat, and his bones are moistened with marrow.

24His buckets are full of milk, and there is no loss of strength in his bones.

24His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.

25But another dieth in bitterness of soul without any riches:

25And another comes to his end with a bitter soul, without ever tasting good.

25And this <FI>one<Fi> dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.

26And yet they shall sleep together in the dust, and worms shall cover them.

26Together they go down to the dust, and are covered by the worm.

26Together--on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.

27Surely I know your thoughts, and your unjust judgments against me.

27See, I am conscious of your thoughts, and of your violent purposes against me;

27Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.

28For you say: Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?

28For you say, Where is the house of the ruler, and where is the tent of the evil-doer?

28For ye say, `Where <FI>is<Fi> the house of the noble? And where the tent--The tabernacles of the wicked?'

29Ask any one of them that go by the way, and you shall perceive that he knoweth these same things.

29Have you not put the question to the travellers, and do you not take note of their experience?

29Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?

30Because the wicked man is reserved to the day of destruction, and he shall be brought to the day of wrath.

30How the evil man goes free in the day of trouble, and has salvation in the day of wrath?

30That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.

31Who shall reprove his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?

31Who will make his way clear to his face? and if he has done a thing, who gives him punishment for it?

31Who doth declare to his face his way? And <FI>for<Fi> that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?

32He shall be brought to the graves, and shall watch in the heap of the dead.

32He is taken to his last resting-place, and keeps watch over it.

32And he--to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.

33He hath been acceptable to the gravel of Cocytus, and he shall draw every man after him, and there are innumerable before him.

33The earth of the valley covering his bones is sweet to him, and all men come after him, as there were unnumbered before him.

33Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.

34How then do ye comfort me in vain, whereas your answer is shewn to be repugnant to truth?

34Why then do you give me comfort with words in which there is no profit, when you see that there is nothing in your answers but deceit?

34And how do ye comfort me <FI>with<Fi> vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?