Chapter 21

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?”