Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Job answered:

1Then Job answered,

2Pay close attention to my words; let this be the consolation you offer.

2"Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your way of consolation.

3Bear with me while I speak; then after I have spoken, you may continue mocking.

3"Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may mock.

4As for me, is my complaint against a man? Then why shouldn't I be impatient?

4"As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?

5Look at me and shudder; put your hand over your mouth.

5"Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth.

6When I think about it, I am terrified and my body trembles in horror.

6"Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And horror takes hold of my flesh.

7Why do the wicked continue to live, growing old and becoming powerful?

7"Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful?

8Their children are established while they are still alive, and their descendants, before their eyes.

8"Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes,

9Their homes are secure and free of fear; no rod from God strikes them.

9Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them.

10Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry.

10"His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not abort.

11They let their little ones run around like lambs; their children skip about,

11"They send forth their little ones like the flock, And their children skip about.

12singing to the tambourine and lyre and rejoicing at the sound of the flute.

12"They sing to the timbrel and harp And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

13They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.

13"They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol.

14Yet they say to God: "Leave us alone! We don't want to know Your ways.

14"They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what will we gain by pleading with Him?"

15'Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we entreat Him?'

16But their prosperity is not of their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me!

16"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come on them? Does He apportion destruction in His anger?

17"How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their calamity fall on them? Does God apportion destruction in His anger?

18Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff a storm sweeps away?

18"Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away?

19God reserves a person's punishment for his children. Let God repay the person himself, so that he may know it.

19"You say, 'God stores away a man's iniquity for his sons.' Let God repay him so that he may know it.

20Let his own eyes see his demise; let him drink from the Almighty's wrath!

20"Let his own eyes see his decay, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21For what does he care about his family once he is dead, when the number of his months has run out?

21"For what does he care for his household after him, When the number of his months is cut off?

22Can anyone teach God knowledge, since He judges the exalted ones?

22"Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high?

23One person dies in excellent health, completely secure and at ease.

23"One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied;

24His body is well fed, and his bones are full of marrow.

24His sides are filled out with fat, And the marrow of his bones is moist,

25Yet another person dies with a bitter soul, having never tasted prosperity.

25While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good.

26But they both lie in the dust, and worms cover them.

26"Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them.

27I know your thoughts very well, the schemes you would wrong me with.

27"Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plans by which you would wrong me.

28For you say, "Where now is the nobleman's house?" and "Where are the tents the wicked lived in?"

28"For you say, 'Where is the house of the nobleman, And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?'

29Have you never consulted those who travel the roads? Don't you accept their reports?

29"Have you not asked wayfaring men, And do you not recognize their witness?

30Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of disaster, rescued from the day of wrath.

30"For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity; They will be led forth at the day of fury.

31Who would denounce his behavior to his face? Who would repay him for what he has done?

31"Who will confront him with his actions, And who will repay him for what he has done?

32He is carried to the grave, and someone keeps watch over his tomb.

32"While he is carried to the grave, Men will keep watch over his tomb.

33The dirt on his grave is sweet to him. Everyone follows behind him, and those who go before him are without number.

33"The clods of the valley will gently cover him; Moreover, all men will follow after him, While countless ones go before him.

34So how can you offer me such futile comfort? Your answers are deceptive.

34"How then will you vainly comfort me, For your answers remain full of falsehood?"

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org