Job 21
BasisBijbel
Job antwoordt Zofar
21 Maar Job antwoordde:
2 Luister nu eens goed naar wat ik zeg.
Dat zou mij troosten.
3 Luister nu eens even naar wat ik te zeggen heb.
Daarna mogen jullie om mij lachen als jullie dat willen.
4 Ik klaag toch niet tegen een mens?
Ik klaag tegen God.
Maar zelfs als ik tegen een mens klaagde –
waarom zou ik niet zo van streek mogen zijn?
5 Kijk toch eens hoe ik eraantoe ben!
Wees geschokt en houd liever je mond!
6 Als ik denk aan wat mij is overkomen,
voel ik me helemaal ellendig en beef ik van top tot teen.
7 Waarom blijven slechte mensen zo lang in leven?
Waarom worden ze oud en zelfs heel rijk?
8 Ze hebben hun kinderen om zich heen.
Ze zien ook hun kleinkinderen opgroeien.
9 Ze wonen veilig in hun huizen, zonder enige angst.
God straft hen niet.
10 Hun stieren zijn vruchtbaar.
Hun koeien krijgen gezonde jongen.
11 Die slechte mensen hebben zoveel kinderen, dat het wel een kudde lijkt.
Zorgeloos huppelen hun kinderen rond.
12 Ze maken plezier met muziek en dans.
Ze vieren vrolijk feest.
13 Ze leven in voorspoed.
Ze sterven in vrede.
14 Toch hebben ze tegen God gezegd:
"We hebben U niet nodig.
We hebben helemaal geen zin om ons met U bezig te houden.
15 Waarom zouden we de Almachtige God moeten gehoorzamen?
En wat hebben we eraan om tot Hem te bidden?"
16 Jullie zeiden tegen mij dat ze hun geluk niet zelf in handen hebben.
Dat God er plotseling een eind aan maakt
en dat jullie daarom niets met hen te maken willen hebben.
17 Dat heel vaak het geluk hen op een dag in de steek laat.
Dat hun plotseling allerlei rampen overkomen,
omdat God hen straft voor wat ze hebben gedaan.
18 Jullie zeggen dat ze dan worden weggeblazen als stro in de wind,
als stof dat wegwaait in de storm.
19 God straft zelfs hun kinderen.
Maar laat Hij ook henzelf straffen!
Ze moeten zélf de straf voelen voor wat ze hebben gedaan!
20 Ze moeten zélf voelen hoe slecht het met henzelf afloopt.
Ze moeten zélf de straf van de Almachtige God ervaren.
21 Want wat maakt het hun uit hoe het met hun gezin gaat,
als zij er zelf niet meer zijn?
22 Maar wie kan God zeggen dat Hij het anders moet doen?
Wie kan zeggen tegen Hem die over de engelen oordeelt,
dat Hij het verkeerd doet?
23 De één sterft terwijl hij nog sterk en gezond is,
na een rustig en zorgeloos leven.
24 Hij heeft altijd genoeg te eten gehad.
Hij was nog vol levenskracht.
25 De ander sterft in armoede,
zonder dat hij ooit van het leven heeft genoten.
26 Allebei liggen ze in het graf
en worden door de wormen opgegeten.
27 Ik weet wel wat jullie denken.
Ik weet wel welke lelijke dingen jullie tegen mij zullen zeggen.
28 Jullie zullen zeggen:
"Maar kijk dan wat er is gebeurd met een machtig mens.
Kijk zelf wat er is gebeurd met een mens die zich niets van God aantrok."
29 Maar hebben jullie dan nooit gepraat met de mensen die veel reizen?
Vraag het hun, en ze zullen jullie hun verhalen vertellen.
30 Zij zullen je vertellen dat iemand die zich niets van God aantrekt,
aan Hem weet te ontsnappen.
Op de dag dat Hij gaat straffen, ontkomt hij.
31 Wie zal hem openlijk beschuldigen?
Zal hij gestraft worden voor wat hij gedaan heeft?
32 Nee, hij wordt aan het eind van zijn leven netjes begraven.
Met zorg wordt zijn grafheuvel gemaakt.
33 Rustig ligt hij in de aarde.
Al ontelbaar veel mensen vóór hem zijn net zo gestorven en begraven.
En nog ontelbaar veel mensen zullen hem volgen.
34 Jullie proberen mij te troosten met woorden die niets betekenen.
Het is allemaal onzin wat jullie zeggen.
Job 21
New King James Version
Job’s Discourse on the Wicked
21 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your [a]consolation.
3 Bear with me that I may speak,
And after I have spoken, keep (A)mocking.
4 “As for me, is my complaint against man?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be astonished;
(B)Put your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
7 (C)Why do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear,
(D)Neither is [b]the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves (E)without miscarriage.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
13 They (F)spend their days in wealth,
And [c]in a moment go down to the [d]grave.
14 (G)Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 (H)Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And (I)what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
16 Indeed [e]their prosperity is not in their hand;
(J)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
How often does their destruction come upon them,
The sorrows God (K)distributes in His anger?
18 (L)They are like straw before the wind,
And like chaff that a storm [f]carries away.
19 They say, ‘God [g]lays up [h]one’s iniquity (M)for his children’;
Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.
20 Let his eyes see his destruction,
And (N)let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household after him,
When the number of his months is cut in half?
22 “Can(O) anyone teach God knowledge,
Since He judges those on high?
23 One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and secure;
24 His [i]pails are full of milk,
And the marrow of his bones is moist.
25 Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
Never having eaten with pleasure.
26 They (P)lie down alike in the dust,
And worms cover them.
27 “Look, I know your thoughts,
And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
28 For you say,
‘Where is the house of the prince?
And where is [j]the tent,
The dwelling place of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the road?
And do you not know their signs?
30 (Q)For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom;
They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
31 Who condemns his way to his face?
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 Yet he shall be brought to the grave,
And a vigil kept over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him;
(R)Everyone shall follow him,
As countless have gone before him.
34 How then can you comfort me with empty words,
Since [k]falsehood remains in your answers?”
Footnotes
Job 21
English Standard Version
Job Replies: The Wicked Do Prosper
21 Then Job answered and said:
2 (A)“Keep listening to my words,
and let this be your comfort.
3 Bear with me, and I will speak,
and after I have spoken, (B)mock on.
4 As for me, is my (C)complaint against man?
Why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be appalled,
and (D)lay your hand over your mouth.
6 When I remember, I am dismayed,
and shuddering seizes my flesh.
7 (E)Why do the wicked live,
reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
8 Their (F)offspring are established in their presence,
and their descendants before their eyes.
9 Their houses are (G)safe from fear,
and (H)no rod of God is upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without fail;
their cow calves and (I)does not miscarry.
11 They send out their (J)little boys like a flock,
and their children dance.
12 They sing to (K)the tambourine and (L)the lyre
and rejoice to the sound of (M)the pipe.
13 They (N)spend their days in prosperity,
and in (O)peace they go down to (P)Sheol.
14 They say to God, (Q)‘Depart from us!
We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
15 (R)What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
And what (S)profit do we get if we pray to him?’
16 Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand?
(T)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is it that (U)the lamp of the wicked is put out?
That their calamity comes upon them?
That God[a] distributes pains in his anger?
18 That they are like (V)straw before the wind,
and like (W)chaff that the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘God (X)stores up their iniquity for their (Y)children.’
Let him pay it out to them, that they may (Z)know it.
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction,
and let them (AA)drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what do they care for their houses after them,
when (AB)the number of their months is cut off?
22 (AC)Will any teach God knowledge,
seeing that he (AD)judges those who are on high?
23 One dies in his full vigor,
being wholly at ease and secure,
24 his pails[b] full of milk
and (AE)the marrow of his bones moist.
25 Another dies in (AF)bitterness of soul,
never having tasted of prosperity.
26 They (AG)lie down alike in the dust,
and (AH)the worms cover them.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts
and your schemes to wrong me.
28 For you say, (AI)‘Where is the house of the prince?
Where is (AJ)the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the roads,
and do you not accept their testimony
30 that (AK)the evil man is spared in the day of calamity,
that he is rescued in the day of wrath?
31 Who declares his way (AL)to his face,
and who (AM)repays him for what he has done?
32 When he is (AN)carried to the grave,
watch is kept over his tomb.
33 (AO)The clods of the valley are sweet to him;
(AP)all mankind follows after him,
and those who go before him are innumerable.
34 How then will you comfort me with empty nothings?
There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”
Job 21
King James Version
21 But Job answered and said,
2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
16 Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
© stichting BasisBijbel 2013 Gecorrigeerde tekst © 2015 Alle rechten voorbehouden Uitgegeven bij de ZakBijbelBond: 2016
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
