1 ¶ But Job answered and said,

And Job answered and said,

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

Hear attentively my speech, and let this replace your consolations.

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

Suffer me and I 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 a man? or wherefore should not my spirit be impatient?

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

Mark me, and be astonished, and lay the hand upon the mouth.

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

Even when I think, I am affrighted, and trembling taketh hold of my flesh.

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

Wherefore do the wicked live, grow old, yea, become mighty in power?

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

Their seed is 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 from 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 gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

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 dance.

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

They shout to the tambour and harp, and rejoice at 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 in a moment go down to Sheol.

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

And they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways!

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

What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what are we profited if we pray unto him?

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

Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked be far from me!

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 the lamp of the wicked put out, and cometh their calamity upon them? Doth he distribute sorrows in his anger?

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

Do they become as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away?

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

+God layeth up his iniquity for his children; he rewardeth him, and he shall know:

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

His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the fury 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 should he have in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?

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

Can any teach God knowledge? And he it is that judgeth those that are high.

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

One dieth 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 sides are full of fat, and the marrow of his bones is moistened;

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

And another dieth in bitterness of soul, and hath not tasted good:

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

Together they lie down in the dust, and the worms cover them.

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

Lo, I know your thoughts, and the devices ye wrongfully imagine against 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 ye say, Where is the house of the noble? and where the tent of the dwellings of the wicked?

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

Have ye not asked the wayfarers? and do ye not regard their tokens:

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

That the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity? They are led forth to the day of wrath.

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

Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?

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

Yet is he carried to the graves, and watch is kept over the 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 unto him; and every man followeth suit after him, as there were innumerable before him.

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

How then comfort ye me in vain? Your answers remain perfidious.