1. |
Then Job answered and said, |
2. |
Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations. |
3. |
Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on. |
4. |
As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient? |
5. |
Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth. |
6. |
Even when I remember I am troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh. |
7. |
Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power? |
8. |
Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes. |
9. |
Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them. |
10. |
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. |
11. |
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 pipe. |
13. |
They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol. |
14. |
And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. |
15. |
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? |
16. |
Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me. |
17. |
How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That `God' distributeth sorrows in his anger? |
18. |
That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away? |
19. |
`Ye say', God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it: |
20. |
Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty. |
21. |
For what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off? |
22. |
Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high? |
23. |
One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet: |
24. |
His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened. |
25. |
And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good. |
26. |
They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them. |
27. |
Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me. |
28. |
For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt? |
29. |
Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences, |
30. |
That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath? |
31. |
Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done? |
32. |
Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb. |
33. |
The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him. |
34. |
How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth `only' falsehood? |