Job 21:7–15

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?’

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?’

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?”

“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?’

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?