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Job 21-23
Christian Standard Bible
Job 21-23
Christian Standard Bible
Job’s Reply to Zophar
21 Then Job answered:
2 Pay close attention to my words;
let this be the consolation you offer.
3 Bear with me while I speak;
then after I have spoken, you may continue mocking.
4 As for me, is my complaint(A) against a human being?
Then why shouldn’t I be impatient?
5 Look at me and shudder;(B)
put your hand over your mouth.(C)
6 When I think about it, I am terrified
and my body trembles(D) in horror.
7 Why do the wicked continue to live,
growing old and becoming powerful?
8 Their children are established while they are still alive,[a]
and their descendants, before their eyes.
9 Their homes are secure and free of fear;(E)
no rod from God strikes them.(F)
10 Their bulls breed without fail;
their cows calve and do not miscarry.
11 They let their little ones run around like lambs;
their children skip about,
12 singing to the tambourine and lyre
and rejoicing at the sound of the flute.(G)
13 They spend[b] their days in prosperity(H)
and go down to Sheol in peace.
14 Yet they say to God, “Leave us alone!
We don’t want to know your ways.(I)
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him,
and what will we gain by pleading with him?” (J)
16 But their prosperity is not of their own doing.
The counsel of the wicked is far from me!(K)
17 How often is the lamp(L) of the wicked put out?
Does disaster[c] come on them?
Does he apportion destruction in his anger?
18 Are they like straw before the wind,
like chaff(M) a storm sweeps away?
19 God reserves a person’s punishment for his children.(N)
Let God repay the person himself, so that he may know it.
20 Let his own eyes see his demise;
let him drink from the Almighty’s wrath!(O)
21 For what does he care about his family once he is dead,(P)
when the number of his months has run out?(Q)
22 Can anyone teach God knowledge,(R)
since he judges the exalted ones?[d]
23 One person dies in excellent health,[e]
completely secure[f] and at ease.
24 His body is[g] well fed,[h]
and his bones are full of marrow.[i]
25 Yet another person dies with a bitter(S) soul,
having never tasted prosperity.
26 But they both lie in the dust,
and worms cover them.(T)
27 I know your thoughts very well,
the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 For you say, “Where now is the nobleman’s house?”
and “Where are the tents(U) the wicked lived in?”
29 Have you never consulted those who travel the roads?
Don’t you accept their reports?[j]
30 Indeed, the evil person is spared from the day of disaster,
rescued from the day of wrath.
31 Who would denounce his behavior to his face?
Who would repay(V) him for what he has done?
32 He is carried to the grave,
and someone keeps watch over his tomb.
33 The dirt on his grave is[k] sweet to him.
Everyone follows behind him,
and those who go before him are without number.
34 So how can you offer me such futile comfort?
Your answers are deceptive.
Third Series of Speeches
Eliphaz Speaks
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 Can a man be of any use to God?
Can even a wise man be of use to him?
3 Does it delight the Almighty if you are righteous?
Does he profit if you perfect your behavior?(W)
4 Does he correct you and take you to court
because of your piety?(X)
5 Isn’t your wickedness abundant
and aren’t your iniquities endless?
6 For you took collateral(Y) from your brothers without cause,
stripping off their clothes and leaving them naked.
7 You gave no water to the thirsty
and withheld food from the famished,(Z)
8 while the land belonged to a powerful man
and an influential man lived on it.
9 You sent widows away empty-handed,
and the strength of the fatherless(AA) was[l] crushed.
10 Therefore snares surround you,
and sudden dread terrifies(AB) you,
11 or darkness, so you cannot see,
and a flood of water covers you.(AC)
12 Isn’t God as high as the heavens?
And look at the highest stars—how lofty they are!
13 Yet you say, “What does God know?
Can he judge through total darkness?(AD)
14 Clouds(AE) veil him so that he cannot see,
as he walks on the circle of the sky.”
15 Will you continue on the ancient path
that wicked men have walked?
16 They were snatched away before their time,
and their foundations(AF) were washed away by a river.
17 They were the ones who said to God, “Leave us alone!”
and “What can the Almighty do to us?” [m](AG)
18 But it was he who filled their houses with good things.
The counsel of the wicked is far from me!
19 The righteous see this and rejoice;
the innocent mock them, saying,(AH)
20 “Surely our opponents are destroyed,
and fire has consumed what they left behind.”(AI)
21 Come to terms with God and be at peace;(AJ)
in this way[n] good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from his mouth,(AK)
and place his sayings(AL) in your heart.
23 If you return(AM) to the Almighty, you will be renewed.
If you banish injustice from your tent
24 and consign your gold to the dust,
the gold of Ophir(AN) to the stones in the wadis,
25 the Almighty will be your gold
and your finest silver.
26 Then you will delight(AO) in the Almighty
and lift up your face to God.(AP)
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you,(AQ)
and you will fulfill your vows.
28 When you make a decision, it will be carried out,[o]
and light will shine on your ways.(AR)
29 When others are humiliated and you say, “Lift them up,”
God will save the humble.[p](AS)
30 He will even rescue the guilty one,
who will be rescued by the purity of your hands.(AT)
Job’s Reply to Eliphaz
23 Then Job answered:
2 Today also my complaint is bitter.[q](AU)
His[r] hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3 If only I knew how to find him,
so that I could go to his throne.
4 I would plead my case before him(AV)
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn how[s] he would answer me;
and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he prosecute(AW) me forcefully?
No, he would certainly pay attention to me.
7 Then an upright man could reason(AX) with him,
and I would escape from my Judge[t](AY) forever.
8 If I go east, he is not there,
and if I go west, I cannot perceive him.(AZ)
9 When he is at work to the north, I cannot see him;
when he turns south, I cannot find him.
10 Yet he knows the way I have taken;[u]
when he has tested me,(BA) I will emerge as pure gold.
11 My feet have followed in his tracks;
I have kept to his way(BB) and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands from his lips;
I have treasured[v] the words(BC) from his mouth
more than my daily food.
13 But he is unchangeable; who can oppose him?
He does what he desires.(BD)
14 He will certainly accomplish what he has decreed for me,
and he has many more things like these in mind.[w]
15 Therefore I am terrified(BE) in his presence;
when I consider this, I am afraid of him.
16 God has made my heart faint;(BF)
the Almighty has terrified me.
17 Yet I am not destroyed[x] by the darkness,(BG)
by the thick darkness that covers my face.
Footnotes
- 21:8 Lit established before them with them
- 21:13 Alt Hb tradition reads fully enjoy
- 21:17 Lit their disaster
- 21:22 Probably angels
- 21:23 Lit in bone of his perfection
- 21:23 Text emended; MT reads health, all at ease
- 21:24 Or His sides are; Hb obscure
- 21:24 Lit is full of milk
- 21:24 Lit and the marrow of his bones is watered
- 21:29 Lit signs
- 21:33 Lit The clods of the wadi are
- 22:9 LXX, Syr, Vg, Tg read you have
- 22:17 LXX, Syr; MT reads them
- 22:21 Lit peace; by them
- 22:28 Lit out for you
- 22:29 Lit bowed of eyes
- 23:2 Syr, Tg, Vg; MT reads rebellion
- 23:2 LXX, Syr; MT reads My
- 23:5 Lit the words
- 23:7 Or judgment
- 23:10 Lit way with me
- 23:12 LXX, Vg read treasured in my bosom
- 23:14 Lit these with him
- 23:17 Or silenced
Job 21-23
New International Version
Job 21-23
New International Version
Job
21 Then Job replied:
2 “Listen carefully to my words;(A)
let this be the consolation you give me.(B)
3 Bear with me while I speak,
and after I have spoken, mock on.(C)
4 “Is my complaint(D) directed to a human being?
Why should I not be impatient?(E)
5 Look at me and be appalled;
clap your hand over your mouth.(F)
6 When I think about this, I am terrified;(G)
trembling seizes my body.(H)
7 Why do the wicked live on,
growing old and increasing in power?(I)
8 They see their children established around them,
their offspring before their eyes.(J)
9 Their homes are safe and free from fear;(K)
the rod of God is not on them.(L)
10 Their bulls never fail to breed;
their cows calve and do not miscarry.(M)
11 They send forth their children as a flock;(N)
their little ones dance about.
12 They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;(O)
they make merry to the sound of the pipe.(P)
13 They spend their years in prosperity(Q)
and go down to the grave(R) in peace.[a](S)
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!(T)
We have no desire to know your ways.(U)
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
What would we gain by praying to him?’(V)
16 But their prosperity is not in their own hands,
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(W)
17 “Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out?(X)
How often does calamity(Y) come upon them,
the fate God allots in his anger?(Z)
18 How often are they like straw before the wind,
like chaff(AA) swept away(AB) by a gale?(AC)
19 It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’(AD)
Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it!(AE)
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction;(AF)
let them drink(AG) the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.(AH)
21 For what do they care about the families they leave behind(AI)
when their allotted months(AJ) come to an end?(AK)
22 “Can anyone teach knowledge to God,(AL)
since he judges even the highest?(AM)
23 One person dies in full vigor,(AN)
completely secure and at ease,(AO)
24 well nourished(AP) in body,[b]
bones(AQ) rich with marrow.(AR)
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul,(AS)
never having enjoyed anything good.
26 Side by side they lie in the dust,(AT)
and worms(AU) cover them both.(AV)
27 “I know full well what you are thinking,
the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,(AW)
the tents where the wicked lived?’(AX)
29 Have you never questioned those who travel?
Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
30 that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,(AY)
that they are delivered from[c] the day of wrath?(AZ)
31 Who denounces their conduct to their face?
Who repays them for what they have done?(BA)
32 They are carried to the grave,
and watch is kept over their tombs.(BB)
33 The soil in the valley is sweet to them;(BC)
everyone follows after them,
and a countless throng goes[d] before them.(BD)
34 “So how can you console me(BE) with your nonsense?
Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”(BF)
Eliphaz
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(BG) replied:
2 “Can a man be of benefit to God?(BH)
Can even a wise person benefit him?(BI)
3 What pleasure(BJ) would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?(BK)
What would he gain if your ways were blameless?(BL)
4 “Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
and brings charges against you?(BM)
5 Is not your wickedness great?
Are not your sins(BN) endless?(BO)
6 You demanded security(BP) from your relatives for no reason;(BQ)
you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.(BR)
7 You gave no water(BS) to the weary
and you withheld food from the hungry,(BT)
8 though you were a powerful man, owning land(BU)—
an honored man,(BV) living on it.(BW)
9 And you sent widows(BX) away empty-handed(BY)
and broke the strength of the fatherless.(BZ)
10 That is why snares(CA) are all around you,(CB)
why sudden peril terrifies you,(CC)
11 why it is so dark(CD) you cannot see,
and why a flood of water covers you.(CE)
12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven?(CF)
And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know?(CG)
Does he judge through such darkness?(CH)
14 Thick clouds(CI) veil him, so he does not see us(CJ)
as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’(CK)
15 Will you keep to the old path
that the wicked(CL) have trod?(CM)
16 They were carried off before their time,(CN)
their foundations(CO) washed away by a flood.(CP)
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
What can the Almighty do to us?’(CQ)
18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,(CR)
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(CS)
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;(CT)
the innocent mock(CU) them, saying,
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed,(CV)
and fire(CW) devours their wealth.’
21 “Submit to God and be at peace(CX) with him;(CY)
in this way prosperity will come to you.(CZ)
22 Accept instruction from his mouth(DA)
and lay up his words(DB) in your heart.(DC)
23 If you return(DD) to the Almighty, you will be restored:(DE)
If you remove wickedness far from your tent(DF)
24 and assign your nuggets(DG) to the dust,
your gold(DH) of Ophir(DI) to the rocks in the ravines,(DJ)
25 then the Almighty will be your gold,(DK)
the choicest silver for you.(DL)
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty(DM)
and will lift up your face(DN) to God.(DO)
27 You will pray to him,(DP) and he will hear you,(DQ)
and you will fulfill your vows.(DR)
28 What you decide on will be done,(DS)
and light(DT) will shine on your ways.(DU)
29 When people are brought low(DV) and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
then he will save the downcast.(DW)
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent,(DX)
who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”(DY)
Job
23 Then Job replied:
2 “Even today my complaint(DZ) is bitter;(EA)
his hand[e] is heavy in spite of[f] my groaning.(EB)
3 If only I knew where to find him;
if only I could go to his dwelling!(EC)
4 I would state my case(ED) before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.(EE)
5 I would find out what he would answer me,(EF)
and consider what he would say to me.
6 Would he vigorously oppose me?(EG)
No, he would not press charges against me.(EH)
7 There the upright(EI) can establish their innocence before him,(EJ)
and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.(EK)
8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not find him.
9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.(EL)
10 But he knows the way that I take;(EM)
when he has tested me,(EN) I will come forth as gold.(EO)
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;(EP)
I have kept to his way without turning aside.(EQ)
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;(ER)
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.(ES)
13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?(ET)
He does whatever he pleases.(EU)
14 He carries out his decree against me,
and many such plans he still has in store.(EV)
15 That is why I am terrified before him;(EW)
when I think of all this, I fear him.(EX)
16 God has made my heart faint;(EY)
the Almighty(EZ) has terrified me.(FA)
17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,(FB)
by the thick darkness that covers my face.
Footnotes
- Job 21:13 Or in an instant
- Job 21:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Job 21:30 Or wicked are reserved for the day of calamity, / that they are brought forth to
- Job 21:33 Or them, / as a countless throng went
- Job 23:2 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew / the hand on me
- Job 23:2 Or heavy on me in
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