Job 21
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
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 behaviour 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 soil 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.
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
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.”
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
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.
