Job 21:5–16

Look at me and be appalled,

and lay your hand over your mouth.

When I remember, I am dismayed,

and shuddering seizes my flesh.

Why do the wicked live,

reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

Their offspring are established in their presence,

and their descendants before their eyes.

Their houses are safe from fear,

and no rod of God is upon them.

Their bull breeds without fail;

their cow calves and does not miscarry.

They send out their little boys like a flock,

and their children dance.

They sing to the tambourine and the lyre

and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

They spend their days in prosperity,

and in peace they go down to Sheol.

They say to God, ‘Depart from us!

We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’

Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand?

The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Look at me and be appalled;

clap your hand over your mouth.

When I think about this, I am terrified;

trembling seizes my body.

Why do the wicked live on,

growing old and increasing in power?

They see their children established around them,

their offspring before their eyes.

Their homes are safe and free from fear;

the rod of God is not on them.

Their bulls never fail to breed;

their cows calve and do not miscarry.

They send forth their children as a flock;

their little ones dance about.

They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;

they make merry to the sound of the pipe.

They spend their years in prosperity

and go down to the grave in peace.

Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!

We have no desire to know your ways.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

What would we gain by praying to him?’

But their prosperity is not in their own hands,

so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.

Look at me and shudder;

put your hand over your mouth.

When I think about it, I am terrified

and my body trembles in horror.

Why do the wicked continue to live,

growing old and becoming powerful?

Their children are established while they are still alive,

and their descendants, before their eyes.

Their homes are secure and free of fear;

no rod from God strikes them.

Their bulls breed without fail;

their cows calve and do not miscarry.

They let their little ones run around like lambs;

their children skip about,

singing to the tambourine and lyre

and rejoicing at the sound of the flute.

They spend their days in prosperity

and go down to Sheol in peace.

Yet they say to God, “Leave us alone!

We don’t want to know your ways.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him,

and what will we gain by pleading with him?”

But their prosperity is not of their own doing.

The counsel of the wicked is far from me!

Look at me and be stunned.

Put your hand over your mouth in shock.

When I think about what I am saying, I shudder.

My body trembles.

“Why do the wicked prosper,

growing old and powerful?

They live to see their children grow up and settle down,

and they enjoy their grandchildren.

Their homes are safe from every fear,

and God does not punish them.

Their bulls never fail to breed.

Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.

They let their children frisk about like lambs.

Their little ones skip and dance.

They sing with tambourine and harp.

They celebrate to the sound of the flute.

They spend their days in prosperity,

then go down to the grave in peace.

And yet they say to God, ‘Go away.

We want no part of you and your ways.

Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him?

What good will it do us to pray?’

(They think their prosperity is of their own doing,

but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.)

Turn to me and be appalled,

and place your hand on your mouth.

And when I think of it, I am horrified,

and shuddering seizes my flesh.

“Why do the wicked live,

grow old, even grow mighty in power?

With them their offspring are established before them,

and their descendants before their eyes.

Their houses are safe without fear,

and the rod of God is not upon them.

His bull breeds and does not fail;

his cow calves and does not miscarry.

They send out their little ones like the flock,

and their children dance around.

They sing to the tambourine and lyre,

and they rejoice to the sound of the long flute.

They spend their days in prosperity,

and in peace they go down to Sheol.

And they say to God, ‘Turn away from us,

for we do not desire to know your ways.

Who is Shaddai that we should serve him,

or what would we benefit when we plead with him?’

Look, their prosperity is not in their hands;

the schemes of the wicked are repugnant to me.

Mark me, and be astonished,

And lay your hand upon your mouth.

Even when I remember I am afraid,

And trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

Wherefore do the wicked live,

Become old, yea, are mighty in power?

Their seed is established in their sight with them,

And their offspring before their eyes.

Their houses are safe from fear,

Neither is the rod of God upon them.

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not;

Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

They send forth their little ones like a flock,

And their children dance.

They take the timbrel and harp,

And rejoice at the sound of the organ.

They spend their days in wealth,

And in a moment go down to the grave.

Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us;

For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

Lo, their good is not in their hand:

The counsel of the wicked is far from me.