Job 21
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1Then Job answered: 1Then Job answered and said:
2"Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you offer me. 2“Keep listening to my words, and let this be your comfort.
3Bear with me and I will speak, and after I have spoken you may mock. 3Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.
4Is my complaint against a man? If so, why should I not be impatient? 4As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient?
5Look at me and be appalled; put your hands over your mouths. 5Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.
6For, when I think about this, I am terrified and my body feels a shudder. 6When I remember, I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.
7"Why do the wicked go on living, grow old, even increase in power? 7Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
8Their children are firmly established in their presence, their offspring before their eyes. 8Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes.
9Their houses are safe and without fear; and no rod of punishment from God is upon them. 9Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.
10Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry. 10Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry.
11They allow their children to run like a flock; their little ones dance about. 11They send out their little boys like a flock, and their children dance.
12They sing to the accompaniment of tambourine and harp, and make merry to the sound of the flute. 12They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
13They live out their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace. 13They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.
14So they say to God, 'Turn away from us! We do not want to know your ways. 14They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain if we were to pray to him?' 15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’
16But their prosperity is not their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me! 16Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17"How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished? How often does their misfortune come upon them? How often does God apportion pain to them in his anger? 17“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains in his anger?
18How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff swept away by a whirlwind? 18That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?
19You may say, 'God stores up a man's punishment for his children!' Instead let him repay the man himself so that he may know it! 19You say, ‘God stores up their iniquity for their children.’ Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it.
20Let his own eyes see his destruction; let him drink of the anger of the Almighty. 20Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21For what is his interest in his home after his death, when the number of his months has been broken off? 21For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off?
22Can anyone teach God knowledge, since he judges those that are on high? 22Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those who are on high?
23"One man dies in his full vigor, completely secure and prosperous, 23One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure,
24his body well nourished, and the marrow of his bones moist. 24his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.
25And another man dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted anything good. 25Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity.
26Together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover over them both. 26They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.
27"Yes, I know what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me. 27“Behold, I know your thoughts and your schemes to wrong me.
28For you say, 'Where now is the nobleman's house, and where are the tents in which the wicked lived?' 28For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29Have you never questioned those who travel the roads? Do you not recognize their accounts--29Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony
30that the evil man is spared from the day of his misfortune, that he is delivered from the day of God's wrath? 30that the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath?
31No one denounces his conduct to his face; no one repays him for what he has done. 31Who declares his way to his face, and who repays him for what he has done?
32And when he is carried to the tombs, and watch is kept over the funeral mound, 32When he is carried to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.
33The clods of the torrent valley are sweet to him; behind him everybody follows in procession, and before him goes a countless throng. 33The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all mankind follows after him, and those who go before him are innumerable.
34So how can you console me with your futile words? Nothing is left of your answers but deception!" 34How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”
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Job 20
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