Job 15:17-35
Holman Christian Standard Bible
17 Listen to me and I will inform you.
I will describe what I have seen,
18 what was declared by wise men
and was not suppressed by their ancestors,(A)
19 the land was given to them alone
when no foreigner passed among them.
20 A wicked man writhes in pain all his days;
only a few[a] years are reserved for the ruthless.
21 Dreadful sounds fill his ears;
when he is at peace, a robber attacks him.
22 He doesn’t believe he will return from darkness;
he is destined for the sword.(B)
23 He wanders about for food, saying, “Where is it?”
He knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24 Trouble(C) and distress terrify him,
overwhelming him like a king prepared for battle.
25 For he has stretched out his hand(D) against God
and has arrogantly opposed the Almighty.
26 He rushes headlong at Him
with his thick, studded shields.
27 Though his face is covered with fat[b]
and his waistline bulges with it,
28 he will dwell in ruined cities,
in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble.(E)
29 He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure.
His possessions[c] will not increase in the land.
30 He will not escape from the darkness;
flames will wither his shoots,
and by the breath of God’s mouth, he will depart.(F)
31 Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray,
for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.
32 It will be accomplished before his time,
and his branch will not flourish.
33 He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes(G)
and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
34 For the company of the godless(H) will have no children,
and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes.
35 They conceive trouble(I) and give birth to evil;
their womb(J) prepares deception.(K)
Job 15:17-35
Common English Bible
The wicked’s downfall
17 Listen to me; I will argue with you;
what I’ve seen, I will declare to you;
18 what the wise have told and have not concealed from their family,
19 to whom alone the earth was given
and no stranger passed in their midst.
20 All the days of the wicked are painful;
the number of years reserved for the hateful;
21 a sound of terror pierces[a] their ears;
when safe, raiders overtake them.
22 They can’t count on turning away from darkness;
they are destined for a sword.
23 They wander about for bread. “Where is it?”
They know that their day of darkness is fixed.
24 Adversity and stress scare them,
master them like a king ready to strike;
25 for they raise a fist against God
and try to overpower the Almighty.
26 They run toward him aggressively,
with a massive and strong shield.
27 They cover their face with grease
and make their loins gross.
28 They lived in ruined cities,
unoccupied houses that turn to rubble.
29 They won’t get rich; their wealth won’t last;
their property won’t extend over the earth.
30 They can’t turn away from darkness;
a flame will dry out their shoots,
and they will be taken away by the wind from his mouth.
31 They shouldn’t trust in what has no worth,
for their reward will be worthless.
32 Before their branch is formed,
before it is green,
33 like the vine, they will drop early grapes
and cast off their blossoms like the olive.
34 The ruthless gang is barren,
and fire consumes the tents of bribers.
35 They conceive toil and give birth to sorrow;
their belly establishes deceit.
Footnotes
- Job 15:21 Heb lacks pierces.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible