Job 21

Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked

1Then Job responded,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 1mock me.4As for me, is 2my complaint 3to a mortal? Or 4why should 5I not be impatient?5Look at me, and be astonished, And 6put your hand over your mouth.6Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And 7horror takes hold of my flesh.7Why 8do the wicked still live, Grow old, and also become very 910powerful?8Their 1112descendants endure with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes,9Their houses 13are safe from fear, And the 14rod of God is not on them.10His ox mates 15without fail; His cow calves and does not miscarry.11They send out their boys like the flock, And their children dance.12They 16sing with the tambourine and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the flute.13They 17spend their days in prosperity, And 18suddenly they go down to 19Sheol.14Yet they say to God, ‘20Go away from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.1521Who is 22the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And 23what would we gain if we plead with Him?’16Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The 24advice of the wicked is far from me.

17“How often is 25the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their 26disaster fall on them? Does 27God apportion destruction in His anger?18Are they as 28straw before the wind, And like 29chaff which the storm carries away?19You say, ‘30God saves up 31a person’s 32wrongdoing for his sons.’ Let 33God repay him so that he may know it.20Let his 34own eyes see his destruction, And let him 35drink of the wrath of 36the Almighty.21For what does he care about his household 37after him, When the number of his months is at an end?22Can anyone 38teach God knowledge, In that He 39judges those on high?23One 40dies in his full strength, Being wholly undisturbed and at ease;24His 41sides are filled with fat, And the 42marrow of his bones is wet,25While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even 43tasting anything good.26Together they 44lie down in the dust, And 45maggots cover them.

27“Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plots you devise against me.28For you say, ‘Where is the house of 46the nobleman, And where is the 47tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’29Have you not asked travelers, And do you not examine their 48evidence?30For the 49wicked person is spared 50a day of disaster; They 51are led away from 52a day of fury.31Who 53confronts him with his actions, And who repays him for what he has done?32When he is carried to the grave, People will keep watch over his tomb.33The 54clods of the valley will 55gently cover him; Moreover, 56all mankind will 57follow after him, While countless others go before him.34So how dare you give me empty 58comfort? For your answers remain nothing but falsehood!”