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Job 21
Legacy Standard Bible
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
約伯記 21
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
約伯記 21
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
約伯的回答
21 約伯回答說：
2 「你們仔細聽我說，
便是給我的慰藉。
3 請容忍我把話說完，
之後任憑你們嘲笑。
4 我豈是向人抱怨？
我有理由不耐煩。
5 你們看到我會大吃一驚，
嚇得用手掩口。
6 我一想到自己，就心驚膽戰，
渾身發抖。
7 為何惡人活著，得享長壽，
勢力強大？
8 他們的兒孫圍繞膝前，
他們得見後代茁壯成長。
9 他們家中平安無懼，
他們不被上帝杖打。
10 他們的公牛繁殖力強，
他們的母牛從不掉胎。
11 他們讓孩童像羊群一樣走到戶外，
盡情地歡跳。
12 他們伴著鈴鼓和豎琴歌唱，
在笛聲中歡喜不已。
13 他們一生幸福，
安然下到陰間。
14 他們對上帝說，『離開我們，
我們不想學習你的道。
15 全能者是誰，竟要我們事奉祂？
向祂禱告有何益處？』
16 看啊，他們的幸福不在他們手中；
因此，我決不苟同他們的想法。
17 「惡人的燈何曾熄滅？
災難何曾臨到他們？
上帝何曾發怒使他們受苦？
18 他們何曾像風中的碎稭，
像被暴風捲去的糠秕？
19 你們說上帝會把懲罰留給他們的兒女，
我認為不如報應在他們本人身上，
讓他們親自領教。
20 願他們親眼看見自己滅亡。
願他們喝下全能者的烈怒。
21 因為他們的歲月一旦度盡，
又怎會關心身後的家人？
22 「上帝既審判身居高位者，
誰還能傳授知識給祂？
23 有人至死仍充滿活力，
盡享平靖安逸。
24 他營養充足，
骨骼健壯。
25 有人至死心中苦痛，
從未嚐過幸福的滋味。
26 二者都埋入塵土，
被蛆蟲覆蓋。
27 我知道你們的想法，
並那些冤枉我的詭計。
28 你們問，『權貴的房子如今何在？
惡人住的帳篷今在何方？』
29 難道你們沒有問過旅客，
不接受他們的說法？
30 就是惡人在災難之日得到倖免，
在上帝發怒之日得以逃脫。
31 誰會當面斥責他們的惡行，
因其所作所為而報應他們？
32 他們被抬入墳墓後，
還有人看守墓地。
33 他們在谷中的沃土安息，
送葬的人前呼後擁，不計其數。
34 你們的空談怎能安慰我？
你們的回答純屬荒謬。」
Job 21
New International Version
Job 21
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)
Job 21
New King James Version
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
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.