Job - Chapter 21
- Then Job answered and said,
- Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.
- Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.
- As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?
- Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.
- Even when I remember I am troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh.
- Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
- Their seed is established with them in their sight, 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 sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
- They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol.
- And 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 prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
- How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That `God' distributeth sorrows in his anger?
- That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?
- `Ye say', God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:
- Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
- For what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off?
- Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high?
- One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet:
- His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.
- And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good.
- They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.
- Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me.
- For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?
- Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences,
- That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath?
- Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
- Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb.
- The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.
- How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth `only' falsehood?
American Standard-ASV1901