God's New Bible

The Book of Job

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 21 -

Job's speech about the wicked

1
Then Job answered:
2
“Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.
3
Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
4
Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?
5
Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.
6
When I remember, terror takes hold, and my body trembles in horror.
7
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
8
Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes.
9
Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.
10
Their bulls breed without fail; their cows bear calves and do not miscarry.
11
They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about,
12
singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.
13
They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.(a)
14
Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.
15
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’
16
Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
17
How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?
18
Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm?
19
It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.
20
Let his eyes see his own destruction; let him drink for himself the wrath of the Almighty.
21
For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out?
22
Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?
23
One man dies full of vigor, completely secure and at ease.
24
His body is well nourished,(b) and his bones are rich with marrow.
25
Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity.
26
But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.
27
Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28
For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’
29
Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?
30
Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.
31
Who denounces his behavior to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?
32
He is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.
33
The clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone follows behind him, and those before him are without number.
34
So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”

Footnotes

(a)21:13 Or in an instant
(b)21:24 Literally His pails are full of milk

Job's speech about the wicked

1
Then Job answered,
2
“Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
3
Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
4
As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
5
Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
6
When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
7
“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
8
Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
9
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
10
Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.
11
They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
12
They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
13
They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol.(a)
14
They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.
15
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
16
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17
“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
18
How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
19
You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
20
Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21
For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
22
“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
23
One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24
His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
25
Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
26
They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
27
“Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
28
For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29
Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,
30
that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
31
Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
32
Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.
33
The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
34
So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”

Footnotes

(a)21:13 Sheol is the place of the dead.
⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞