1 B ut Job answered and said,

Then Job answered and said:

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

“Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your consolation.

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

Bear with me that I may speak, And after I have spoken, keep mocking.

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

“As for me, is my complaint against man? And if it were, why should I not be impatient?

5 M ark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

Look at me and be astonished; Put your hand over your mouth.

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

Even when I remember I am terrified, And trembling takes hold of my flesh.

7 W herefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

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

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

Their descendants 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 from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.

10 T heir bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

Their bull breeds without failure; Their cow calves without miscarriage.

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

They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.

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

They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice to the sound of the flute.

13 T hey spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave.

14 T herefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not 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 hat 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 L o, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17 H ow oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them, The sorrows God distributes in His anger?

18 T hey are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

They are like straw before the wind, And like chaff that a storm carries away.

19 G od layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.

They say, ‘God lays up one’s iniquity for his children’; Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.

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

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

21 F or what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?

For what does he care about his household after him, When the number of his months is cut in half?

22 S hall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.

“Can anyone teach God knowledge, Since He judges those on high?

23 O ne dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and secure;

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 moist.

25 A nd another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.

Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, Never having eaten with pleasure.

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

They lie down alike in the dust, And worms cover them.

27 B ehold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.

“Look, I know your thoughts, And the schemes with which you would wrong me.

28 F or ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?

For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent, The dwelling place of the wicked?’

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

Have you not asked those who travel the road? And do you not know their signs?

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

For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom; They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.

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

Who condemns his way to his face? And who repays him for what he has done?

32 Y et shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.

Yet he shall be brought to the grave, And a vigil kept over the tomb.

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

The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him; Everyone shall follow him, As countless have gone before him.

34 H ow then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?

How then can you comfort me with empty words, Since falsehood remains in your answers?”