21 But Job answered and said,

Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

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?

Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked

21 Then Job responded,

“Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your way of consolation.
Bear with me that I may speak;
Then after I have spoken, you may (A)mock me.
As for me, is (B)my complaint [a]to a mortal?
Or (C)why should [b]I not be impatient?
Look at me, and be astonished,
And (D)put your hand over your mouth.
Even when I remember, I am disturbed,
And (E)horror takes hold of my flesh.
Why (F)do the wicked still live,
Grow old, and also become very [c](G)powerful?
Their [d](H)descendants endure with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes,
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

  1. Job 21:4 Or against
  2. Job 21:4 Lit my spirit
  3. Job 21:7 Or superior
  4. Job 21:8 Lit seed
  5. Job 21:9 I.e., punishment
  6. Job 21:10 Lit and does not fail
  7. Job 21:12 Lit lifted up the voice
  8. Job 21:13 Or in peacefulness
  9. Job 21:13 I.e., the netherworld
  10. Job 21:15 Lit What
  11. Job 21:15 Heb Shaddai
  12. Job 21:17 Lit He
  13. Job 21:19 Lit his
  14. Job 21:19 Or disaster
  15. Job 21:19 Lit Him
  16. Job 21:20 Heb Shaddai
  17. Job 21:21 I.e., after he dies
  18. Job 21:24 As in Syriac; Heb uncertain. Some render as his pails are full of milk
  19. Job 21:25 Lit eating
  20. Job 21:29 Lit signs
  21. Job 21:30 Or for the day
  22. Job 21:30 Or will be led to the day
  23. Job 21:31 Lit declares his way to his face
  24. Job 21:33 Lit be sweet to him
  25. Job 21:33 Lit draw

Nagsalita si Job

21 Sumagot si Job, “Pakinggan ninyo akong mabuti upang mapasaya rin ninyo ako. Makinig kayo habang nagsasalita ako at kapag akoʼy tapos na, tuyain ninyo ako kung gusto ninyo.

“Ang hinaing koʼy hindi laban sa tao kundi sa Dios. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit maikli ang pasensya ko. Tingnan ninyo ako. Sa nakita ninyo sa akin makakapagsalita pa ba kayo? Kung iisipin ko ang mga nangyayari sa akin, manginginig ako sa takot.

“Bakit patuloy na nabubuhay ang mga masama? Tumatanda sila at nagiging maunlad. Nakikita nila ang paglaki ng kanilang mga anak at apo. Namumuhay sila sa kanilang tahanan na ligtas sa panganib at walang kinatatakutan. Hindi sila pinaparusahan ng Dios. 10 Walang tigil ang panganganak ng kanilang mga baka at hindi ito nakukunan. 11 Marami silang anak, parang kawan ng tupa sa dami.[a] Nagsasayawan sila, 12 nag-aawitan, at nagkakatuwaan sa tugtog ng tamburin, alpa at plauta. 13 Namumuhay sila sa kasaganaan at payapang namamatay. 14 Pero sinasabi nila sa Dios, ‘Pabayaan mo kami! Ayaw naming malaman ang iyong mga pamamaraan. 15 Sino kang Makapangyarihan na dapat naming paglingkuran? At ano ba ang mapapala namin kung mananalangin kami sa iyo?’ 16 Pero ang totoo, ang pag-unlad nilaʼy hindi galing sa sarili nilang pagsisikap. Kaya anuman ang ipapayo ng masasamang taong ito ay hindi ko tatanggapin.

17 “Pero madalang ang taong masasama na namamatay. Bihirang dumating sa kanila ang kahirapan o parusang ipinapadala ng Dios dahil sa kanyang galit. 18 Bihira nilang maranasan ang mapalayas tulad ng ipa na tinatangay ng malakas na hangin. 19 Sinasabi ninyo na kapag hindi sila parurusahan ng Dios ang mga anak nila ang parurusahan. Pero sa ganang akin, ang nagkasala ang siyang dapat parusahan ng Dios para maranasan nila 20 at makita ang kanilang kapahamakan. Matikman sana nila ang galit ng Makapangyarihang Dios. 21 Kapag patay na sila, hindi na nila malalaman ang mga nangyayari sa kanilang sambahayan.

22 “Matuturuan ba ng tao ang Dios, na siya ngang pinakamataas na hukom? 23 May mga taong namamatay sa gitna ng kasaganaan at panatag na kalagayan, 24 at malusog na pangangatawan. 25 May mga tao ring namamatay sa kahirapan, at hindi nakaranas ng kahit kaunting kaginhawahan sa buhay. 26 Pero pareho rin silang ililibing sa lupa at kakainin ng mga uod.

27 “Alam ko kung ano ang nasa isip ninyo. Alam ko kung ano ang binabalak ninyo laban sa akin. 28 Sasabihin ninyo sa akin ang tungkol sa mga taong mayaman na nawasak ang tahanan dahil sa kanilang kasamaan. 29 Pero tanungin mo ang mga dumadaan at pakinggan ang sinasabi nila. Sapagkat sasabihin nila sa inyo na 30 palaging naliligtas ang masasamang tao sa araw ng pagpaparusa ng Dios. 31 Walang hayagang sumasaway sa taong masama. Walang gumaganti sa masama niyang ginawa. 32-33 At kapag namatay siya at inihatid sa kanyang huling hantungan, marami ang nakikipaglibing. Tinatanggap ng lupa ang katawan niya at binibigyan ng kapahingahan. Binabantayan pa ang kanyang libingan.

34 “Kaya paano ninyo ako maaaliw sa pamamagitan ng mga salita ninyong walang kabuluhan? Ang mga sinasabi ninyoʼy walang katotohanan!”

Footnotes

  1. 21:11 Marami … sa dami: o, Pinaglalaro nila ang kanilang mga anak tulad ng mga tupa.

Job’s Discourse on the Wicked

21 Then Job answered and said:

“Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your [a]consolation.
Bear with me that I may speak,
And after I have spoken, keep (A)mocking.

“As for me, is my complaint against man?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
Look at me and be astonished;
(B)Put your hand over your mouth.
Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
(C)Why do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
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

  1. Job 21:2 comfort
  2. Job 21:9 The rod of God’s chastisement
  3. Job 21:13 Without lingering
  4. Job 21:13 Or Sheol
  5. Job 21:16 Lit. their goal
  6. Job 21:18 steals away
  7. Job 21:19 stores up
  8. Job 21:19 Lit. his
  9. Job 21:24 LXX, Vg. bowels; Syr. sides; Tg. breasts
  10. Job 21:28 Vg. omits the tent
  11. Job 21:34 faithlessness