New American Standard Bible 1995 | Christian Standard Bible |
1Then Job answered, | 1Then Job answered: |
2"Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your way of consolation. | 2Pay close attention to my words; let this be the consolation you offer. |
3"Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may mock. | 3Bear with me while I speak; then after I have spoken, you may continue mocking. |
4"As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient? | 4As for me, is my complaint against a human being? Then why shouldn't I be impatient? |
5"Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth. | 5Look at me and shudder; put your hand over your mouth. |
6"Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And horror takes hold of my flesh. | 6When I think about it, I am terrified and my body trembles in horror. |
7"Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful? | 7Why do the wicked continue to live, growing old and becoming powerful? |
8"Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes, | 8Their children are established while they are still alive, and their descendants, before their eyes. |
9Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them. | 9Their homes are secure and free of fear; no rod from God strikes them. |
10"His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not abort. | 10Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry. |
11"They send forth their little ones like the flock, And their children skip about. | 11They let their little ones run around like lambs; their children skip about, |
12"They sing to the timbrel and harp And rejoice at the sound of the flute. | 12singing to the tambourine and lyre and rejoicing at the sound of the flute. |
13"They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol. | 13They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace. |
14"They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways. | 14Yet they say to God, "Leave us alone! We don't want to know your ways. |
15'Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we entreat Him?' | 15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him, and what will we gain by pleading with him?" |
16"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me. | 16But their prosperity is not of their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me! |
17"How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their calamity fall on them? Does God apportion destruction in His anger? | 17How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come on them? Does he apportion destruction in his anger? |
18"Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away? | 18Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff a storm sweeps away? |
19"You say, 'God stores away a man's iniquity for his sons.' Let God repay him so that he may know it. | 19God reserves a person's punishment for his children. Let God repay the person himself, so that he may know it. |
20"Let his own eyes see his decay, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty. | 20Let his own eyes see his demise; let him drink from the Almighty's wrath! |
21"For what does he care for his household after him, When the number of his months is cut off? | 21For what does he care about his family once he is dead, when the number of his months has run out? |
22"Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high? | 22Can anyone teach God knowledge, since he judges the exalted ones? |
23"One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied; | 23One person dies in excellent health, completely secure and at ease. |
24His sides are filled out with fat, And the marrow of his bones is moist, | 24His body is well fed, and his bones are full of marrow. |
25While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good. | 25Yet another person dies with a bitter soul, having never tasted prosperity. |
26"Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them. | 26But they both lie in the dust, and worms cover them. |
27"Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plans by which you would wrong me. | 27I know your thoughts very well, the schemes by which you would wrong me. |
28"For you say, 'Where is the house of the nobleman, And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?' | 28For you say, "Where now is the nobleman's house?" and "Where are the tents the wicked lived in?" |
29"Have you not asked wayfaring men, And do you not recognize their witness? | 29Have you never consulted those who travel the roads? Don't you accept their reports? |
30"For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity; They will be led forth at the day of fury. | 30Indeed, the evil person is spared from the day of disaster, rescued from the day of wrath. |
31"Who will confront him with his actions, And who will repay him for what he has done? | 31Who would denounce his behavior to his face? Who would repay him for what he has done? |
32"While he is carried to the grave, Men will keep watch over his tomb. | 32He is carried to the grave, and someone keeps watch over his tomb. |
33"The clods of the valley will gently cover him; Moreover, all men will follow after him, While countless ones go before him. | 33The dirt on his grave is sweet to him. Everyone follows behind him, and those who go before him are without number. |
34"How then will you vainly comfort me, For your answers remain full of falsehood?" | 34So how can you offer me such futile comfort? Your answers are deceptive. |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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