1 A nd Job answereth and saith: --

And Job answered and said,

2 H ear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.

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

3 B ear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking -- ye may deride.

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

4 I -- to man my complaint? and if, wherefore May not my temper become short?

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

5 T urn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.

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

6 Y ea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.

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

7 W herefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.

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

8 T heir seed is established, Before their face with them, 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 peace without fear, Nor a rod of God upon them.

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

10 H is bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.

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

11 T hey send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,

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

12 T hey lift up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.

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

13 T hey wear out in good their days, And in a moment Sheol go down.

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

14 A nd they say to God, `Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.

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

15 W hat the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'

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

16 L o, not in their hand their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

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

17 H ow oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth 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 are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,

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

19 G od layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him -- and he knoweth.

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

20 H is own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.

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

21 F or what his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?

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

22 T o God doth teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?

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

23 T his dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.

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

24 H is breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.

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

25 A nd this dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.

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

26 T ogether -- on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.

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

27 L o, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.

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

28 F or ye say, `Where the house of the noble? And where the tent -- The tabernacles 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 passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?

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

30 T hat to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.

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

31 W ho doth declare to his face his way? And that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?

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

32 A nd he -- to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.

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

33 S weet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.

The clods of the valley are sweet unto him; and every man followeth suit after him, as there were innumerable before him.

34 A nd how do ye comfort me vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?

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