Job 21

Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked

1Then Job 1answered,2“Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your way of consolation.3Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may 2mock.4As for me, is 3my complaint 4to man? And 5why should 6I not be impatient?5Look at me, and be astonished, And 7put your hand over your mouth.6Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And 8horror takes hold of my flesh.7Why 9do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very 10powerful?8Their 1112descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes,9Their houses 13are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them.10His ox mates 14without fail; His cow calves and does not abort.11They send forth their little ones like the flock, And their children skip about.12They 15sing to the timbrel and harp And rejoice at the sound of the flute.13They 16spend their days in prosperity, And 17suddenly they go down to 18Sheol.14They say to God, ‘19Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.1520Who is 21the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And 22what would we gain if we entreat Him?’16Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The 23counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17“How often is 24the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their 25calamity fall on them? Does 26God apportion destruction in His anger?18Are they as 27straw before the wind, And like 28chaff which the storm carries away?19You say, ‘29God stores away 30a man’s iniquity for his sons.’ Let 31God repay him so that he may know it.20Let his 32own eyes see his decay, And let him 33drink of the wrath of 34the Almighty.21For what does he care for his household 35after him, When the number of his months is cut off?22Can anyone 36teach God knowledge, In that He 37judges those on high?23One 38dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and 39satisfied;24His 40sides are filled out with fat, And the 41marrow of his bones is moist,25While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even 42tasting anything good.26Together they 43lie down in the dust, And 44worms cover them.

27“Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plans by which you would wrong me.28For you say, ‘Where is the house of 45the nobleman, And where is the 46tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’29Have you not asked wayfaring men, And do you not recognize their 47witness?30For the 48wicked is reserved for the day of calamity; They will be led forth at 49the day of fury.31Who will 50confront him with his actions, And who will repay him for what he has done?32While he is carried to the grave, Men will keep watch over his tomb.33The 51clods of the valley will 52gently cover him; Moreover, 53all men will 54follow after him, While countless ones go before him.34How then will you vainly 55comfort me, For your answers remain full of 56falsehood?”