Job 21:1–22:30
Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked
1 Then Job 1answered,
2 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your way of consolation.
3 “Bear with me that I may speak;
Then after I have spoken, you may amock.
4 “As for me, is amy complaint 1to man?
And bwhy should 2I not be impatient?
5 “Look at me, and be astonished,
And aput your hand over your mouth.
6 “Even when I remember, I am disturbed,
And ahorror takes hold of my flesh.
7 “Why ado the wicked still live,
Continue on, also become very bpowerful?
8 “Their 1adescendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes,
9 Their houses aare safe from fear,
And the rod of God is not on them.
10 “His ox mates 1without fail;
His cow calves and does not abort.
11 “They send forth their little ones like the flock,
And their children skip about.
12 “They 1sing to the timbrel and harp
And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13 “They aspend their days in prosperity,
And 1suddenly they go down to 2Sheol.
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 gain 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 bcalamity fall on them?
Does 1God apportion destruction in His anger?
18 “Are they as astraw before the wind,
And like bchaff which the storm carries away?
19 “You say, ‘aGod stores away 1a man’s iniquity for his sons.’
Let 2God repay him so that he may know it.
20 “Let his aown eyes see his decay,
And let him bdrink of the wrath of 1the Almighty.
21 “For what does he care for his household 1after him,
When the number of his months is cut off?
22 “Can anyone ateach God knowledge,
In that He bjudges those on high?
23 “One adies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and 1satisfied;
24 His 1sides are filled out with fat,
And the amarrow of his bones is moist,
25 While another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even 1tasting anything good.
26 “Together they alie down in the dust,
And bworms cover them.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the plans by which you would wrong me.
28 “For you say, ‘Where is the house of athe nobleman,
And where is the btent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’
29 “Have you not asked wayfaring men,
And do you not recognize their 1witness?
30 “For the awicked is reserved for the day of calamity;
They will be led forth at bthe day of fury.
31 “Who will 1confront him with his actions,
And who will repay him for what he has done?
32 “While he is carried to the grave,
Men will keep watch over his tomb.
33 “The aclods of the valley will 1gently cover him;
Moreover, ball men will 2follow after him,
While countless ones go before him.
34 “How then will you vainly acomfort me,
For your answers remain full of 1falsehood?”
Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite 1responded,
2 “Can a vigorous aman be of use to God,
Or a wise man be useful to himself?
3 “Is there any pleasure to 1the Almighty if you are righteous,
Or profit if you make your ways perfect?
4 “Is it because of your 1reverence that He reproves you,
That He aenters into judgment against you?
5 “Is not ayour wickedness great,
And your iniquities without end?
6 “For you have ataken pledges of your brothers without cause,
7 “To the weary you have agiven no water to drink,
And from the hungry you have bwithheld bread.
8 “But the earth abelongs to the bmighty man,
And cthe honorable man dwells in it.
9 “You have sent awidows away empty,
And the 1strength of the borphans has been crushed.
10 “Therefore asnares surround you,
And sudden bdread terrifies you,
11 Or adarkness, so that you cannot see,
And an babundance of water covers you.
12 “Is not God ain the height of heaven?
Look also at the 1distant stars, how high they are!
13 “You say, ‘aWhat does God know?
Can He judge through the thick darkness?
14 ‘aClouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;
And He walks on the 1vault of heaven.’
15 “Will you keep to the ancient path
Which awicked men have trod,
16 Who were snatched away abefore their time,
Whose bfoundations were 1washed away by a river?
17 “They asaid to God, ‘Depart from us!’
And ‘What can 1the Almighty do to them?’
18 “Yet He afilled their houses with good things;
But bthe counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 “The arighteous see and are glad,
And the innocent mock them,
20 Saying, ‘Truly our adversaries are cut off,
And their 1abundance athe fire has consumed.’
21 “1aYield now and be at peace with Him;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 “Please receive 1ainstruction from His mouth
And establish His words in your heart.
23 “If you areturn to 1the Almighty, you will be 2restored;
If you bremove unrighteousness far from your tent,
24 And aplace your 1gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 Then 1the Almighty will be your 2gold
And choice silver to you.
26 “For then you will adelight in 1the Almighty
And lift up your face to God.
27 “You will apray to Him, and bHe will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.
28 “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;
And alight will shine on your ways.
29 “When 1you are cast down, you will speak with 2confidence,
And the 3ahumble person He will save.
30 “He will deliver one who is not innocent,
And he will be adelivered through the cleanness of your hands.”