Job 21
New International Reader's Version
Job’s Reply
21 Job replied,
2 “Listen carefully to what I’m saying.
Let that be the comfort you people give me.
3 Put up with me while I speak.
After I’ve spoken, you can make fun of me!
4 “I’m not arguing with mere human beings.
So why shouldn’t I be angry and uneasy?
5 Look at me and be shocked.
Put your hand over your mouth and stop talking!
6 When I think about these things, I’m terrified.
My whole body trembles.
7 Why do sinful people keep on living?
The older they grow, the richer they get.
8 They see their children grow up around them.
They watch their family grow larger.
9 Their homes are safe.
They don’t have to be afraid.
God isn’t punishing them.
10 Every time their bulls mate, their cows become pregnant.
And the calves don’t die before they are born.
11 Sinful people send their children out like a flock of lambs.
Their little ones dance around.
12 They sing to the music of tambourines and lyres.
They have a good time while flutes are being played.
13 Those who are evil spend their years living well.
They go down to their graves in peace.
14 But they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
We don’t want to know how you want us to live.
15 Who is the Mighty One? Why should we serve him?
What would we get if we prayed to him?’
16 But they aren’t in control of their own success.
So I don’t pay any attention to their plans.
17 “How often are their lamps blown out?
How often does trouble come on them?
How often does God punish them when he’s angry?
18 How often are they like straw blowing in the wind?
How often are they like tumbleweeds swept away by a storm?
19 People say, ‘God stores up the punishment of evil people for their children.’
But let God punish the evil people themselves.
Then they’ll learn a lesson from it.
20 Let their own eyes see how they are destroyed.
Let them drink the wine of the Mighty One’s anger.
21 What do they care about the families they leave behind?
What do they care about them
when their lives come to an end?
22 “Can anyone teach God anything?
After all, he judges even the angels in heaven.
23 Some people die while they are still very strong.
They are completely secure. They have an easy life.
24 They are well fed.
Their bodies are healthy.
25 Others die while their spirits are bitter.
They’ve never enjoyed anything good.
26 Side by side they lie in the dust of death.
The worms in their graves cover all of them.
27 “I know exactly what you people are thinking.
I know you are planning to do bad things to me.
28 You are saying to yourselves,
‘Where is the great man’s house now?
Where are the tents where his evil family lived?’
29 Haven’t you ever asked questions of those who travel?
Haven’t you paid any attention to their stories?
30 They’ll tell you that sinful people
are spared from the day of trouble.
They’ll say that those people
are saved from the day when God will judge.
31 Who speaks against them for the way they act?
Who pays them back for what they’ve done?
32 Their bodies will be carried to their graves.
Guards will watch over their tombs.
33 The soil in the valley will be pleasant
to those who have died.
Many people will walk along behind their bodies.
Many others will walk in front of them.
34 “So how can you comfort me with your speeches?
They don’t make any sense at all.
Your answers are nothing but lies!”
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?
Iyov 21
Orthodox Jewish Bible
21 But Iyov answered and said,
2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your tanechumot (consolations).
3 Bear with me that I may speak; and achar (after) that I have spoken, mock on.
4 As for me, is my complaint to adam (mortals)? Or why should my ruach not become impatient?
5 Look at me, and be astonished, and lay your yad upon your peh (mouth).
6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my basar.
7 Madu’a (why) do the resha’im live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
8 Their zera is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their batim (houses) are shalom from pachad; neither is the shevet Eloah upon them.
10 Their shor (bull) breeds, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and doth not miscarry her calf.
11 They send forth their little ones like a tzon, and their yeladim jump about.
12 They sing to the tambourine and kinnor, and rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13 They spend their yamim in tov, and in a moment go down to Sheol.
14 Therefore they say unto El, Depart from us; for we desire not the da’as of Thy ways.
15 What is Shaddai, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we importune Him?
16 Lo, their tov is not in their yad; the etzah (counsel, scheme) of the resha’im is far from me.
17 How oft is the ner (light) of the resha’im put out! And how oft cometh their destruction upon them and He distributeth pains in His anger.
18 They are as straw before the ruach, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
19 Eloah layeth up his iniquity for his banim; He payeth him back, and he shall know it.
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of Shaddai.
21 For what pleasure hath he in his bais after him, when the mispar (number) of his months is cut off?
22 Shall any teach El da’as, seeing He judgeth those that are on high?
23 Zeh (this one) dieth in his full prosperity, being wholly at ease and secure.
24 His troughs are full of cholov, and his atzmot are moistened with marrow.
25 And another dieth in the marah (bitterness) of his nefesh, and never eateth with pleasure.
26 They shall lie down alike in the aphar, and the worms shall cover them.
27 Behold, I know your machshevot, and the stratagems which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
28 For ye say, Where is the bais of the tyrant? And where are the ohel mishkenot of the resha’im?
29 Have ye not asked them that travel the derech? And do ye not accept their testimony,
30 That the rah is spared in the yom eid (day of calamity)? They shall be rescued in the yom avarot (day of wrath).
31 Who shall declare his derech 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 gadish (gravemound).
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and kol adam shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
34 How then comfort ye me with hevel (empty nothings), seeing in your answers there is nothing left but falsehood?
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