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Job’s Dialogue on the Wicked

21 Then Job replied:

“Listen carefully to my words;
    let this be your consolation.
Bear with me as I speak,
    and after I have spoken, mock on.
As for me, is my complaint against man?
    If so, why should I not be impatient?
Look at me and be appalled;
    put your hand over your mouth.
When I think of it, I am terrified
    and my flesh shudders.
Why do the wicked go on living,
    growing old and increasing in power?
Their children are established in their presence,
    their offspring before their eyes.
Their homes have peace and are free from fear;
    no rod of God is on them.
10 His bull breeds without fail;
    his cow calves and do not miscarry.
11 They send out their little ones like a flock
    and their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp
    and rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13 They spend their days in prosperity,
    and in a moment go down to Sheol.
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    We have no desire to know Your ways.
15 Who is Shaddai that we should serve Him?
    What would we gain if we pray to Him?’
16 Look, their prosperity is not in their own hands;
    the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out
    or calamity fallen on them?
How often does He allot pain in His anger?
18 How often are they like straw before the wind;
    like chaff swept away by a storm?
19 You say, ‘God stores up the punishment for his children.’
    Let Him repay the wicked so he may know it!
20 Let his own eyes see his ruin;
    let him drink the wrath of Shaddai.
21 For what does he care for his family that he leaves behind,
when the number of his months has come to an end?

22 “Can anyone teach God knowledge,
    since He judges even the highest.
23 One dies in his full strength,[a]
    completely secure and at ease.
24 His pails are full of milk;
    His bones are moist with marrow.
25 Yet another dies in bitterness of soul,
    never having tasted goodness.
26 Together they lie in the dust
    and worms cover over them.

27 “Behold, I know your thoughts,
    the schemes by which you wrong me.
28 For you ask, ‘Where is the nobleman’s house
    and the tent where the wicked lived?’
29 Have you not asked travelers?
    Do you not recognize their accounts
30 that the wicked are spared for the day of calamity
that they are brought to the day of wrath?
31 Who declares his conduct to his face?
    Who repays him for what he has done?
32 He is brought to the grave,
    and watch is kept over his tomb.
33 The soil in the valley is sweet to him;
    everyone follows after him,
    and countless are those before him.

34 “So how will your futility comfort me,
    for your answers remain nothing but falsehood?”

Footnotes

  1. Job 21:23 Lit. in the bone of his perfection.

Job

21 Then Job replied:

“Listen carefully to my words;(A)
    let this be the consolation you give me.(B)
Bear with me while I speak,
    and after I have spoken, mock on.(C)

“Is my complaint(D) directed to a human being?
    Why should I not be impatient?(E)
Look at me and be appalled;
    clap your hand over your mouth.(F)
When I think about this, I am terrified;(G)
    trembling seizes my body.(H)
Why do the wicked live on,
    growing old and increasing in power?(I)
They see their children established around them,
    their offspring before their eyes.(J)
Their homes are safe and free from fear;(K)
    the rod of God is not on them.(L)
10 Their bulls never fail to breed;
    their cows calve and do not miscarry.(M)
11 They send forth their children as a flock;(N)
    their little ones dance about.
12 They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;(O)
    they make merry to the sound of the pipe.(P)
13 They spend their years in prosperity(Q)
    and go down to the grave(R) in peace.[a](S)
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!(T)
    We have no desire to know your ways.(U)
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
    What would we gain by praying to him?’(V)
16 But their prosperity is not in their own hands,
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(W)

17 “Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out?(X)
    How often does calamity(Y) come upon them,
    the fate God allots in his anger?(Z)
18 How often are they like straw before the wind,
    like chaff(AA) swept away(AB) by a gale?(AC)
19 It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’(AD)
    Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it!(AE)
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction;(AF)
    let them drink(AG) the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.(AH)
21 For what do they care about the families they leave behind(AI)
    when their allotted months(AJ) come to an end?(AK)

22 “Can anyone teach knowledge to God,(AL)
    since he judges even the highest?(AM)
23 One person dies in full vigor,(AN)
    completely secure and at ease,(AO)
24 well nourished(AP) in body,[b]
    bones(AQ) rich with marrow.(AR)
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul,(AS)
    never having enjoyed anything good.
26 Side by side they lie in the dust,(AT)
    and worms(AU) cover them both.(AV)

27 “I know full well what you are thinking,
    the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,(AW)
    the tents where the wicked lived?’(AX)
29 Have you never questioned those who travel?
    Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
30 that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,(AY)
    that they are delivered from[c] the day of wrath?(AZ)
31 Who denounces their conduct to their face?
    Who repays them for what they have done?(BA)
32 They are carried to the grave,
    and watch is kept over their tombs.(BB)
33 The soil in the valley is sweet to them;(BC)
    everyone follows after them,
    and a countless throng goes[d] before them.(BD)

34 “So how can you console me(BE) with your nonsense?
    Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”(BF)

Footnotes

  1. Job 21:13 Or in an instant
  2. Job 21:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  3. Job 21:30 Or wicked are reserved for the day of calamity, / that they are brought forth to
  4. Job 21:33 Or them, / as a countless throng went