21 (A)Dreadful sounds are in his ears;
    in (B)prosperity the destroyer will come upon him.
22 He does not believe that he will return out of darkness,
    and he is marked for the sword.
23 He (C)wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’
    He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand;
24 distress and anguish terrify him;
    they (D)prevail against him, like a king ready for battle.
25 Because he has stretched out his hand against God
    and defies the Almighty,
26 (E)running (F)stubbornly against him
    with a thickly bossed shield;
27 because he has (G)covered his face with his fat
    and gathered fat upon his waist
28 and has lived in desolate cities,
    in houses that none should inhabit,
    which were ready to become heaps of ruins;
29 he will not be rich, and his wealth will not endure,
    nor will his possessions spread over the earth;[a]
30 he will not depart from darkness;
    the flame will dry up his shoots,
    and by (H)the breath of his mouth he will depart.
31 Let him not (I)trust in emptiness, deceiving himself,
    for emptiness will be his payment.
32 It will be paid in full (J)before his time,
    and his branch will not be green.
33 He will shake off his unripe grape like the vine,
    and cast off his blossom like the olive tree.
34 For (K)the company of the godless is barren,
    and (L)fire consumes the tents of bribery.
35 They (M)conceive trouble and give birth to evil,
    and their (N)womb prepares deceit.”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 15:29 Or nor will his produce bend down to the earth

21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears;(A)
    when all seems well, marauders attack him.(B)
22 He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;(C)
    he is marked for the sword.(D)
23 He wanders about(E) for food like a vulture;(F)
    he knows the day of darkness(G) is at hand.(H)
24 Distress and anguish(I) fill him with terror;(J)
    troubles overwhelm him, like a king(K) poised to attack,
25 because he shakes his fist(L) at God
    and vaunts himself against the Almighty,(M)
26 defiantly charging against him
    with a thick, strong shield.(N)

27 “Though his face is covered with fat
    and his waist bulges with flesh,(O)
28 he will inhabit ruined towns
    and houses where no one lives,(P)
    houses crumbling to rubble.(Q)
29 He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure,(R)
    nor will his possessions spread over the land.(S)
30 He will not escape the darkness;(T)
    a flame(U) will wither his shoots,(V)
    and the breath of God’s mouth(W) will carry him away.(X)
31 Let him not deceive(Y) himself by trusting what is worthless,(Z)
    for he will get nothing in return.(AA)
32 Before his time(AB) he will wither,(AC)
    and his branches will not flourish.(AD)
33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes,(AE)
    like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.(AF)
34 For the company of the godless(AG) will be barren,
    and fire will consume(AH) the tents of those who love bribes.(AI)
35 They conceive trouble(AJ) and give birth to evil;(AK)
    their womb fashions deceit.”

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