Job 21:4-18
English Standard Version
4 As for me, is my (A)complaint against man?
Why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be appalled,
and (B)lay your hand over your mouth.
6 When I remember, I am dismayed,
and shuddering seizes my flesh.
7 (C)Why do the wicked live,
reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
8 Their (D)offspring are established in their presence,
and their descendants before their eyes.
9 Their houses are (E)safe from fear,
and (F)no rod of God is upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without fail;
their cow calves and (G)does not miscarry.
11 They send out their (H)little boys like a flock,
and their children dance.
12 They sing to (I)the tambourine and (J)the lyre
and rejoice to the sound of (K)the pipe.
13 They (L)spend their days in prosperity,
and in (M)peace they go down to (N)Sheol.
14 They say to God, (O)‘Depart from us!
We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
15 (P)What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
And what (Q)profit do we get if we pray to him?’
16 Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand?
(R)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is it that (S)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 (T)straw before the wind,
and like (U)chaff that the storm carries away?
Footnotes
- Job 21:17 Hebrew he
Job 21:4-18
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 As for me, is my complaint addressed to mortals?
Why should I not be impatient?(A)
5 Look at me and be appalled,
and lay your hand upon your mouth.(B)
6 When I think of it I am dismayed,
and shuddering seizes my flesh.
7 Why do the wicked live on,
reach old age, and grow mighty in power?(C)
8 Their children are established in their presence
and their offspring before their eyes.(D)
9 Their houses are safe from fear,
and no rod of God is upon them.(E)
10 Their bull breeds without fail;
their cow calves and never miscarries.(F)
11 They send out their little ones like a flock,
and their children dance around.
12 They sing to the tambourine and the lyre
and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.(G)
13 They spend their days in prosperity,
and in peace they go down to Sheol.(H)
14 They say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
We do not desire to know your ways.(I)
15 What is the Almighty,[a] that we should serve him?
And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’(J)
16 Is not their prosperity indeed their own achievement?[b]
The plans of the wicked are repugnant to me.(K)
17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
How often does calamity come upon them?
How often does God[c] distribute pains in his anger?(L)
18 How often are they like straw before the wind
and like chaff that the storm carries away?(M)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.