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
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 American Standard Bible
Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked
21 Then Job responded,
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 me.
4 As for me, is (B)my complaint [a]to a mortal?
Or (C)why should [b]I not be impatient?
5 Look at me, and be astonished,
And (D)put your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember, I am disturbed,
And (E)horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 Why (F)do the wicked still live,
Grow old, and also become very [c](G)powerful?
8 Their [d](H)descendants endure with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes,
9 Their houses (I)are safe from fear,
And the [e]rod of God is not on them.
10 His ox mates [f]without fail;
His cow calves and does not miscarry.
11 They send out their boys like the flock,
And their children dance.
12 They [g]sing with the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13 They (J)spend their days in prosperity,
And [h]suddenly they go down to [i]Sheol.
14 Yet they say to God, ‘(K)Go away from us!
We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 [j]Who is [k]the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
And (L)what would we gain if we plead with Him?’
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;
The (M)advice 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 [l]God apportion destruction in His anger?
18 Are they as (P)straw before the wind,
And like (Q)chaff which the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘(R)God saves up [m]a person’s [n]wrongdoing for his sons.’
Let [o]God repay him so that he may know it.
20 Let his (S)own eyes see his destruction,
And let him (T)drink of the wrath of [p]the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household [q]after him,
When the number of his months is at an end?
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 undisturbed and at ease;
24 His [r]sides are filled with fat,
And the (X)marrow of his bones is wet,
25 While another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even [s]tasting anything good.
26 Together they (Y)lie down in the dust,
And (Z)maggots cover them.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the plots you devise 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 travelers,
And do you not examine their [t]evidence?
30 For the (AC)wicked person is spared [u]a day of disaster;
They [v]are led away from (AD)a day of fury.
31 Who [w]confronts him with his actions,
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 When he is carried to the grave,
People will keep watch over his tomb.
33 The (AE)clods of the valley will [x]gently cover him;
Moreover, (AF)all mankind will [y]follow after him,
While countless others go before him.
34 So how dare you give me empty (AG)comfort?
For your answers remain nothing but falsehood!”
Footnotes
- Job 21:4 Or against
- Job 21:4 Lit my spirit
- Job 21:7 Or superior
- Job 21:8 Lit seed
- Job 21:9 I.e., punishment
- Job 21:10 Lit and does not fail
- Job 21:12 Lit lifted up the voice
- Job 21:13 Or in peacefulness
- Job 21:13 I.e., the netherworld
- Job 21:15 Lit What
- Job 21:15 Heb Shaddai
- Job 21:17 Lit He
- Job 21:19 Lit his
- Job 21:19 Or disaster
- Job 21:19 Lit Him
- Job 21:20 Heb Shaddai
- Job 21:21 I.e., after he dies
- Job 21:24 As in Syriac; Heb uncertain. Some render as his pails are full of milk
- Job 21:25 Lit eating
- Job 21:29 Lit signs
- Job 21:30 Or for the day
- Job 21:30 Or will be led to the day
- Job 21:31 Lit declares his way to his face
- Job 21:33 Lit be sweet to him
- Job 21:33 Lit draw
Giobbe 21
La Nuova Diodati
21 Allora Giobbe rispose e disse:
2 «Ascoltate attentamente ciò che dico, e sia questo il conforto che mi date.
3 Abbiate pazienza con me e lasciatemi parlare e, quando avrò parlato, deridetemi pure.
4 Mi lamento forse di un uomo? E perché il mio spirito non dovrebbe rattristarsi?
5 Guardatemi e stupite, e mettetevi la mano sulla bocca.
6 Quando ci penso, ne sono spaventato e la mia carne è presa da un tremito.
7 Perché mai vivono gli empi, e perchè invecchiano ed accrescono le loro ricchezze?
8 La loro discendenza si afferma insieme ad essi sotto i loro sguardi e i loro rampolli fioriscono sotto i loro occhi.
9 Le loro case sono al sicuro, senza spaventi, e la verga di Dio non grava su di loro.
10 Il loro toro feconda e non falla, la loro vacca figlia senza abortire.
11 Mandano fuori come un gregge i loro piccoli, e i loro figli saltano.
12 Cantano al suono di timpano e di cetra e si rallegrano al suono del flauto.
13 Trascorrono nel benessere i loro giorni, poi in un momento scendono nello Sceol.
14 Eppure dicevano a Dio: "Allontanati da noi, perché non desideriamo affatto conoscere le tue vie.
15 Chi è l'Onnipotente perché dobbiamo servirlo? Che ci giova inoltre pregarlo?
16 Ecco, la loro prosperità non sta forse nelle loro mani? Il consiglio degli empi è ben lontano da me.
17 Quante volte si spegne la lampada dei malvagi o la distruzione si abbatte su di loro, le sofferenze che Dio assegna nella sua ira?
18 Sono essi come paglia davanti al vento o come pula portata via dall'uragano?
19 Voi dite che Dio conserva la punizione dell'iniquità di uno per i suoi figli. Lo ripaghi Dio, perché egli possa capire.
20 Veda con i suoi occhi la sua distruzione e beva dell'ira dell'Onnipotente!
21 Che cosa gl'importa infatti della sua casa dopo la morte, quando il numero dei suoi mesi è compiuto?
22 Può qualcuno insegnare a Dio conoscenza, a lui che giudica quelli di lassú?
23 Uno muore nel suo pieno vigore, tutto tranquillo e sicuro
24 ha i secchi pieni di latte e il midollo delle sue ossa è fresco.
25 Un altro invece muore con l'anima amareggiata, senza aver mai gustato il bene.
26 Ambedue giacciono insieme nella polvere e i vermi li ricoprono.
27 Ecco, io conosco i vostri pensieri e i piani con i quali mi vorreste fare violenza
28 Infatti voi dite: "Dov'è la casa del principe, e dov'è la tenda, la dimora dei malvagi?
29 Non avete interrogato quelli che viaggiano e non riconoscete i loro segni?
30 I malvagi infatti sono risparmiati nel giorno della distruzione e sono portati in salvo nel giorno dell'ira.
31 Chi gli rinfaccia la sua condotta e chi lo ripaga per ciò che ha fatto?
32 Egli è portato alla sepoltura e si farà la guardia sulla sua tomba.
33 Le zolle della valle gli saranno dolci, tutta la gente lo seguirà, mentre una folla immensa lo precede.
34 Come potete dunque consolarmi con parole vane, dato che dalle vostre parole non rimane che falsità?».
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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 American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1991 by La Buona Novella s.c.r.l.


