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
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?
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