Job 21:7–18

⁷“Why ^ado the wicked still live,

Continue on, also become very ^bpowerful?

⁸“Their ^aseed is established with them in their presence,

And their offspring before their eyes,

⁹Their houses ^aare safe from dread,

And the rod of God is not on them.

¹⁰“His ox mates and does not fail;

His cow calves and does not miscarry.

¹¹“They send forth their little ones like the flock,

And their children skip about.

¹²“They lift up the tambourine and harp

And are glad at the sound of the pipe.

¹³“They ^aspend their days in prosperity,

And ¹suddenly they go down to Sheol.

¹⁴“They say to God, ‘^aDepart from us!

We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

¹⁵‘¹Who is ²the Almighty, that we should serve Him,

And ^awhat would we profit if we entreat Him?’

¹⁶“Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;

The ^acounsel of the wicked is far from me.

¹⁷“How often is ^athe lamp of the wicked put out,

Or does their ^bdisaster fall on them?

Does ¹God apportion destruction in His anger?

¹⁸“Are they as ^astraw before the wind,

And like ^bchaff which the storm steals away?