Job 21  Jubilee Bible 2000

21 ¶ But Job answered and said,

² Hear diligently my speech, and let this be instead of your consolations.

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

⁴ As for me, is my complaint to man? And if so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

⁵ Look upon me and be astonished and lay your hand upon your mouth.

⁶ Even I myself, when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling takes hold on my flesh.

⁷ ¶ Why do the wicked live and become old and even increase in riches?

⁸ Their seed is with them, established 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 cows conceive, and do not abort; their cows calve and do not cast forth their young.

¹¹ They send forth their little ones like a flock of sheep, and their children dance.

¹² They jump at the sound of the timbrel and harp and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

¹³ They spend their days in pleasure and in a moment go down to Sheol.

¹⁴ Therefore, they say unto God, Depart from us; for we do not desire the knowledge of thy ways.

¹⁵ Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And what profit should we have if we pray unto him?

¹⁶ Behold that their good is not in their hands; the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

¹⁷ ¶ How often is the lamp of the wicked put out and their destruction comes upon them, and God distributes sorrows upon them in his anger.

¹⁸ They shall be as stubble before the wind and as chaff taken up by the whirlwind.

¹⁹ God shall lay up his violence for their sons; and he will reward him so that he shall know it.

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

²¹ For what delight shall he have in his house after him, being cut off in the number of his months?

²² Shall he teach God knowledge, seeing he judges those that are high?

²³ This one shall die in the full strength of his beauty, being completely at ease and quiet.

²⁴ His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.

²⁵ And another dies in the bitterness of his soul, never having eaten with pleasure.

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

²⁷ ¶ Behold, I know your thoughts and the imaginations which ye devise against me.

²⁸ For ye say, What is of the house of the prince, and what of the tent of the habitation of the wicked?

²⁹ Have ye not asked those that go by the way, and do ye not know their tokens?

³⁰ That the wicked is reserved for the day of destruction, they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

³¹ Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he has done?

³² He shall yet be brought to the grave and shall remain in the tomb.

³³ The clods of the river valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall be drawn after him, as there were innumerable before him.

³⁴ How then do ye comfort me in vain, given that your answers remain as falsehood?