Job 21
Christian Standard Bible
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 behavior 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 dirt 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
La Bible du Semeur
Réponse de Job à Tsophar
Pourquoi les méchants prospèrent-ils ?
21 Job prit la parole et dit :
2 Ecoutez, je vous prie, ╵écoutez ce que je vous dis,
accordez-moi du moins ╵cette consolation.
3 Supportez que je parle
et, quand j’aurai parlé, ╵tu pourras te moquer.
4 Est-ce contre des hommes ╵que se porte ma plainte ?
Comment ne pas perdre patience !
5 Tournez-vous donc vers moi, ╵vous serez stupéfaits
au point de perdre la parole.
6 Moi-même quand j’y songe, ╵j’en suis épouvanté,
et un frisson d’horreur ╵s’empare de mon corps.
7 Pourquoi les gens qui font le mal ╵demeurent-ils en vie ?
Pourquoi vieillissent-ils, ╵en reprenant des forces ?
8 Leur descendance s’affermit ╵à leurs côtés,
et leurs petits-enfants ╵prospèrent sous leurs yeux.
9 Leurs maisons sont paisibles, ╵à l’abri de la crainte,
et le bâton de Dieu ╵ne vient pas les frapper.
10 Leurs taureaux sont toujours ╵vigoureux et féconds,
leurs vaches mettent bas ╵sans jamais avorter.
11 Ils laissent courir leurs enfants ╵comme un troupeau d’agneaux,
leurs petits vont s’ébattre.
12 Accompagnés des tambourins ╵et de la lyre, ils chantent,
et au son de la flûte, ╵ils se réjouissent.
13 Ainsi leurs jours s’écoulent ╵dans le bonheur
et c’est en un instant ╵qu’ils rejoignent la tombe.
14 Or, ils disaient à Dieu : ╵« Retire-toi de nous,
nous n’avons nulle envie ╵de connaître comment tu veux ╵que nous conduisions notre vie.
15 Qu’est donc le Tout-Puissant ╵pour que nous le servions[a] ?
Qu’y a-t-il à gagner ╵à lui adresser des prières ? »
16 Le bonheur de ces gens ╵n’est-il pas dans leurs mains[b] ?
Mais loin de moi ╵l’idée de suivre leurs conseils !
17 Voit-on souvent s’éteindre ╵la lampe des méchants[c],
ou bien la ruine ╵fondre sur eux ?
Dieu leur assigne-t-il ╵leur part de sa colère ?
18 Quand sont-ils pourchassés ╵comme une paille au vent
ou comme un brin de chaume ╵qu’emporte la tempête ?
19 Dieu réserverait-il ╵aux enfants du méchant ╵la peine qu’il mérite ?
Ne devrait-il pas au contraire ╵l’infliger au méchant lui-même ╵pour qu’il en tire la leçon ?
20 Que, de ses propres yeux, ╵il assiste à sa ruine
et qu’il soit abreuvé ╵de la fureur du Tout-Puissant.
21 Que lui importe donc ╵le sort de sa maison ╵quand il ne sera plus,
quand le fil de ses mois ╵aura été tranché ?
22 Pourrait-on enseigner ╵quelque savoir à Dieu,
lui qui gouverne ╵tous les êtres célestes ?
23 L’un meurt plein de vigueur, ╵dans la sérénité,
et en toute quiétude.
24 Ses flancs sont pleins de graisse
et ses os pleins de moelle.
25 Tel autre va s’éteindre ╵l’amertume dans l’âme,
sans avoir goûté au bonheur.
26 Et tous deux, ils se couchent ╵dans la poussière
et ils sont recouverts ╵par la vermine.
27 Oui, vos pensées, je les connais,
les réflexions blessantes ╵que vous entretenez ╵à mon encontre[d].
28 Vous me demanderez : ╵« Où donc est maintenant ╵la maison du tyran ?
Et la demeure des méchants, ╵qu’est-elle devenue ? »
29 Mais interrogez donc ╵les passants du chemin,
et ne contestez pas ╵les preuves qu’ils apportent.
30 Oui, le jour du désastre ╵épargne le méchant,
au jour de la colère, ╵il est mis à l’abri.
31 Qui osera lui reprocher ╵en face sa conduite ?
Et qui lui paiera de retour ╵tout le mal qu’il a fait ?
32 Il est porté en pompe ╵au lieu de sépulture,
on veille sur sa tombe.
33 Les mottes du vallon ╵qui recouvrent son corps ╵lui sont légères.
Tout un cortège ╵a marché à sa suite,
des gens sans nombre ╵l’ont précédé.
34 Comment donc m’offrez-vous ╵des consolations aussi vaines ?
Car, vraiment ce qui reste ╵de toutes vos réponses, ╵ce n’est que fausseté.
Footnotes
- 21.15 Autre traduction : pour que nous lui rendions un culte.
- 21.16 Autre traduction : Certes, le bonheur de ces gens n’est pas entre leurs mains.
- 21.17 C’est-à-dire mourir sans laisser de descendant (Pr 13.9). Job demande à ses amis combien de fois les « lois » qu’ils lui ont rabâchées se vérifient.
- 21.27 Autre traduction : Les mauvais desseins que vous me prêtez.
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
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
La Bible Du Semeur (The Bible of the Sower) Copyright © 1992, 1999 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
