Job 21

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?