1 ¶ But Job answered and said,

Then Job answered,

2 H ear diligently my speech, and let this be instead of your consolations.

Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolation.

3 S uffer me that I may speak; and after I have spoken, mock on.

Allow me, and I also will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on.

4 A s for me, is my complaint to man? And if so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

As for me, is my complaint to man or of him? And why should I not be impatient and my spirit be troubled?

5 L ook upon me and be astonished and lay your hand upon your mouth.

Look at me and be astonished (appalled); and lay your hand upon your mouth.

6 E ven I myself, when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling takes hold on my flesh.

Even when I remember, I am troubled and afraid; horror and trembling take hold of my flesh.

7 ¶ Why do the wicked live and become old and even increase in riches?

Why do the wicked live, become old, and become mighty in power?

8 T heir seed is with them, established in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.

Their children are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.

9 T heir houses are safe from fear; neither is the rod of God upon them.

Their houses are safe and in peace, without fear; neither is the rod of God upon them.

10 T heir cows conceive, and do not abort; their cows calve and do not cast forth their young.

Their bull breeds and fails not; their cows calve and do not miscarry.

11 T hey send forth their little ones like a flock of sheep, and their children dance.

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children skip about.

12 T hey jump at the sound of the timbrel and harp and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

They themselves lift up their voices and sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

13 T hey spend their days in pleasure and in a moment go down to Sheol.

They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol (the unseen state) in a moment and peacefully.

14 T herefore, they say unto God, Depart from us; for we do not desire the knowledge of thy ways.

Yet they say to God, Depart from us, for we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

15 W ho is the Almighty that we should serve him? And what profit should we have if we pray unto him?

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?

16 B ehold that their good is not in their hands; the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

But notice, the prosperity of the wicked is not in their power; the mystery with the ungodly is far from my comprehension.

17 ¶ How often is the lamp of the wicked put out and their destruction comes upon them, and God distributes sorrows upon them in his anger.

How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains and sorrows to them in His anger?

18 T hey shall be as stubble before the wind and as chaff taken up by the whirlwind.

That they are like stubble before the wind and like chaff that the storm steals and carries away?

19 G od shall lay up his violence for their sons; and he will reward him so that he shall know it.

You say, God lays up iniquity for his children. Let Him recompense it to the man himself, that he may know and feel it.

20 H is eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

Let his own eyes see his destruction, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21 F or what delight shall he have in his house after him, being cut off in the number of his months?

For what pleasure or interest has a man in his house and family after he is dead, when the number of his months is cut off?

22 S hall he teach God knowledge, seeing he judges those that are high?

Shall any teach God knowledge, seeing that He judges those who are on high?

23 T his one shall die in the full strength of his beauty, being completely at ease and quiet.

One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;

24 H is breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.

His pails are full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is fresh and moist,

25 A nd another dies in the bitterness of his soul, never having eaten with pleasure.

Whereas another man dies in bitterness of soul and never tastes of pleasure or good fortune.

26 T hey shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm spreads a covering over them.

27 ¶ Behold, I know your thoughts and the imaginations which ye devise against me.

Behold, I know your thoughts and plans and the devices with which you would wrong me.

28 F or ye say, What is of the house of the prince, and what of the tent of the habitation of the wicked?

For you say, Where is the house of the rich and liberal prince ? And where is the tent in which the wicked dwelt?

29 H ave ye not asked those that go by the way, and do ye not know their tokens?

Have you not asked those who travel this way, and do you not accept their testimony and evidences—

30 T hat the wicked is reserved for the day of destruction, they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

That the evil man is spared in the day of calamity and destruction, and they are led forth and away on the day of wrath?

31 W ho shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he has done?

But who declares way him to his face? And who pays him back for what he has done?

32 H e shall yet be brought to the grave and shall remain in the tomb.

When he is borne to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.

33 T he clods of the river valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall be drawn after him, as there were innumerable before him.

The clods of the valley are sweet to him, and every man shall follow him to a grave, as innumerable people before him.

34 H ow then do ye comfort me in vain, given that your answers remain as falsehood?

How then can you comfort me with empty and futile words, since in your replies there lurks falsehood?