Job 21
New American Standard Bible 1995
Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked
21 Then Job [a]answered,
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 (A)mock.
4 “As for me, is (B)my complaint [b]to man?
And (C)why should [c]I not be impatient?
5 “Look at me, and be astonished,
And (D)put your hand over your mouth.
6 “Even when I remember, I am disturbed,
And (E)horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 “Why (F)do the wicked still live,
Continue on, also become very (G)powerful?
8 “Their [d](H)descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes,
9 Their houses (I)are safe from fear,
And the rod of God is not on them.
10 “His ox mates [e]without 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 [f]sing to the timbrel and harp
And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13 “They (J)spend their days in prosperity,
And [g]suddenly they go down to [h]Sheol.
14 “They say to God, ‘(K)Depart from us!
We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 ‘[i]Who is [j]the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
And (L)what would we gain if we entreat Him?’
16 “Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;
The (M)counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is (N)the lamp of the wicked put out,
Or does their (O)calamity fall on them?
Does [k]God apportion destruction in His anger?
18 “Are they as (P)straw before the wind,
And like (Q)chaff which the storm carries away?
19 “You say, ‘(R)God stores away [l]a man’s iniquity for his sons.’
Let [m]God repay him so that he may know it.
20 “Let his (S)own eyes see his decay,
And let him (T)drink of the wrath of [n]the Almighty.
21 “For what does he care for his household [o]after him,
When the number of his months is cut off?
22 “Can anyone (U)teach God knowledge,
In that He (V)judges those on high?
23 “One (W)dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and [p]satisfied;
24 His [q]sides are filled out with fat,
And the (X)marrow of his bones is moist,
25 While another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even [r]tasting anything good.
26 “Together they (Y)lie down in the dust,
And (Z)worms 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 (AA)the nobleman,
And where is the (AB)tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’
29 “Have you not asked wayfaring men,
And do you not recognize their [s]witness?
30 “For the (AC)wicked is reserved for the day of calamity;
They will be led forth at (AD)the day of fury.
31 “Who will [t]confront 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 (AE)clods of the valley will [u]gently cover him;
Moreover, (AF)all men will [v]follow after him,
While countless ones go before him.
34 “How then will you vainly (AG)comfort me,
For your answers remain full of [w]falsehood?”
Footnotes
- Job 21:1 Lit answered and said
- Job 21:4 Or against
- Job 21:4 Lit my spirit
- Job 21:8 Lit seed
- Job 21:10 Lit and does not fail
- Job 21:12 Lit lifted up the voice
- Job 21:13 So with most versions; M.T. are shattered by Sheol
- Job 21:13 I.e. the nether world
- Job 21:15 Lit What
- Job 21:15 Heb Shaddai
- Job 21:17 Lit He
- Job 21:19 Lit his
- Job 21:19 Lit Him
- Job 21:20 Heb Shaddai
- Job 21:21 I.e. after he dies
- Job 21:23 Or quiet
- Job 21:24 So with Syr; Heb uncertain. Some render as, his pails are full of milk
- Job 21:25 Lit eating
- Job 21:29 Lit signs
- Job 21:31 Lit declare his way to his face
- Job 21:33 Lit be sweet to him
- Job 21:33 Lit draw
- Job 21:34 Or faithlessness
Job 21
Legacy Standard Bible
God Does Not Punish the Wicked
21 Then Job answered and said,
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 (A)mock.
4 As for me, is (B)my musing [a]to man?
And (C)why should [b]I not be impatient?
5 Look at me, and be appalled,
And (D)put your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember, I am dismayed,
And (E)horror seizes my flesh.
7 Why (F)do the wicked still live,
Continue on, also become very (G)powerful?
8 Their (H)seed is established with them in their presence,
And their offspring before their eyes,
9 Their houses (I)are safe from dread,
And the rod of God is not on them.
10 His ox mates and does not fail;
His cow calves and does not miscarry.
11 They send forth their little ones like the flock,
And their children skip about.
12 They lift up the tambourine and harp
And are glad at the sound of the pipe.
13 They (J)spend their days in prosperity,
And [c]suddenly they go down to Sheol.
14 They say to God, ‘(K)Depart from us!
We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 [d]Who is [e]the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
And (L)what would we profit if we entreat Him?’
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;
The (M)counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is (N)the lamp of the wicked put out,
Or does their (O)disaster fall on them?
Does [f]God apportion destruction in His anger?
18 Are they as (P)straw before the wind,
And like (Q)chaff which the storm steals away?
19 You say, ‘(R)God stores away [g]a man’s wickedness for his sons.’
Let [h]God repay him so that he may know it.
20 Let his (S)own eyes see his decay,
And let him (T)drink of the wrath of [i]the Almighty.
21 For what desire does he have for his household [j]after him,
When the number of his months is cut off?
22 Can anyone (U)teach God knowledge,
In that He (V)judges those on high?
23 One (W)dies in his full strength,
Being wholly carefree and at ease;
24 His [k]sides are filled out with fat,
And the (X)marrow of his bones is moist,
25 But another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even eats anything good.
26 Together they (Y)lie down in the dust,
And (Z)worms cover them.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the plans by which you do violence against me.
28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of (AA)the nobleman,
And where is the (AB)tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked those who pass by along the way,
And do you not recognize their [l]witness?
30 That the (AC)wicked is reserved for the day of disaster;
They will be led forth at (AD)the day of fury.
31 Who will declare to his face about his actions,
And who will repay him for what he has done?
32 While he is led forth to the grave,
Men will keep watch over his tomb.
33 The (AE)clods of the valley will [m]gently cover him;
Moreover, (AF)all men will draw up after him,
While countless ones go before him.
34 How then will you vainly (AG)comfort me,
Indeed when your answers remain full of [n]falsehood?”
Footnotes
- Job 21:4 Or against
- Job 21:4 Lit my spirit
- Job 21:13 As in most versions; M.T. are shattered by Sheol
- Job 21:15 Lit What
- Job 21:15 Heb Shaddai
- Job 21:17 Lit He
- Job 21:19 Lit his
- Job 21:19 Lit Him
- Job 21:20 Heb Shaddai
- Job 21:21 After he dies
- Job 21:24 As in Syr; Heb uncertain; some Heb mss render as his pails are full of milk
- Job 21:29 Lit signs
- Job 21:33 Lit be sweet to him
- Job 21:34 Or faithlessness
Job 21
New American Standard Bible
Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked
21 Then Job responded,
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 (A)mock me.
4 As for me, is (B)my complaint [a]to a mortal?
Or (C)why should [b]I not be impatient?
5 Look at me, and be astonished,
And (D)put your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember, I am disturbed,
And (E)horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 Why (F)do the wicked still live,
Grow old, and also become very [c](G)powerful?
8 Their [d](H)descendants endure with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes,
9 Their houses (I)are safe from fear,
And the [e]rod of God is not on them.
10 His ox mates [f]without fail;
His cow calves and does not miscarry.
11 They send out their boys like the flock,
And their children dance.
12 They [g]sing with the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13 They (J)spend their days in prosperity,
And [h]suddenly they go down to [i]Sheol.
14 Yet they say to God, ‘(K)Go away from us!
We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 [j]Who is [k]the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
And (L)what would we gain if we plead with Him?’
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;
The (M)advice of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is (N)the lamp of the wicked put out,
Or does their (O)disaster fall on them?
Does [l]God apportion destruction in His anger?
18 Are they as (P)straw before the wind,
And like (Q)chaff which the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘(R)God saves up [m]a person’s [n]wrongdoing for his sons.’
Let [o]God repay him so that he may know it.
20 Let his (S)own eyes see his destruction,
And let him (T)drink of the wrath of [p]the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household [q]after him,
When the number of his months is at an end?
22 Can anyone (U)teach God knowledge,
In that He (V)judges those on high?
23 One (W)dies in his full strength,
Being wholly undisturbed and at ease;
24 His [r]sides are filled with fat,
And the (X)marrow of his bones is wet,
25 While another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even [s]tasting anything good.
26 Together they (Y)lie down in the dust,
And (Z)maggots cover them.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the plots you devise against me.
28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of (AA)the nobleman,
And where is the (AB)tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked travelers,
And do you not examine their [t]evidence?
30 For the (AC)wicked person is spared [u]a day of disaster;
They [v]are led away from (AD)a day of fury.
31 Who [w]confronts him with his actions,
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 When he is carried to the grave,
People will keep watch over his tomb.
33 The (AE)clods of the valley will [x]gently cover him;
Moreover, (AF)all mankind will [y]follow after him,
While countless others go before him.
34 So how dare you give me empty (AG)comfort?
For your answers remain nothing but falsehood!”
Footnotes
- Job 21:4 Or against
- Job 21:4 Lit my spirit
- Job 21:7 Or superior
- Job 21:8 Lit seed
- Job 21:9 I.e., punishment
- Job 21:10 Lit and does not fail
- Job 21:12 Lit lifted up the voice
- Job 21:13 Or in peacefulness
- Job 21:13 I.e., the netherworld
- Job 21:15 Lit What
- Job 21:15 Heb Shaddai
- Job 21:17 Lit He
- Job 21:19 Lit his
- Job 21:19 Or disaster
- Job 21:19 Lit Him
- Job 21:20 Heb Shaddai
- Job 21:21 I.e., after he dies
- Job 21:24 As in Syriac; Heb uncertain. Some render as his pails are full of milk
- Job 21:25 Lit eating
- Job 21:29 Lit signs
- Job 21:30 Or for the day
- Job 21:30 Or will be led to the day
- Job 21:31 Lit declares his way to his face
- Job 21:33 Lit be sweet to him
- Job 21:33 Lit draw
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.