1 T hen Job answered,

And Job answered and said,

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

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

3 “ Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may mock.

Suffer me and I will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on!

4 “ As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?

As for me, is my complaint to a man? or wherefore should not my spirit be impatient?

5 “ Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth.

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

6 “ Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And horror takes hold of my flesh.

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

7 “ Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful?

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

8 “ Their descendants are established with them 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, And the rod of God is not on them.

Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of +God upon them.

10 “ His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not abort.

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

11 “ They send forth their little ones like the flock, And their children skip about.

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

12 “ They sing to the timbrel and harp And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

They shout to the tambour and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.

13 “ They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol.

They spend their days in prosperity, and in a moment go down to Sheol.

14 “ They say to God, ‘ Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

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

15 ‘ Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we entreat Him?’

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

16 “ Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; 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, Or does their calamity fall on them? Does God apportion destruction 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 “ Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away?

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

19 “ You say, ‘ God stores away a man’s iniquity for his sons.’ Let God repay him so that he may know it.

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

20 “ Let his own eyes see his decay, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the fury of the Almighty.

21 “ For what does he care for his household after him, When the number of his months is cut off?

For what pleasure should he have in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?

22 “ Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high?

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

23 “ One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied;

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

24 H is sides are filled out with fat, And the marrow of his bones is moist,

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

25 W hile another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good.

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

26 “ Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them.

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

27 “ Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plans by which you would wrong me.

Lo, I know your thoughts, and the devices ye wrongfully imagine against me.

28 “ For you say, ‘Where is the house of the nobleman, And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’

For ye say, Where is the house of the noble? and where the tent of the dwellings of the wicked?

29 “ Have you not asked wayfaring men, And do you not recognize their witness?

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

30 “ For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity; They will be led forth at the day of fury.

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

31 “ Who will confront him with his actions, And who will repay him for what he has done?

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

32 “ While he is carried to the grave, Men will keep watch over his tomb.

Yet is he carried to the graves, and watch is kept over the tomb.

33 “ The clods of the valley will gently cover him; Moreover, all men will follow after him, While countless ones go 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 “ How then will you vainly comfort me, For your answers remain full of falsehood?”

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