NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Job answered:

1Then Job answered,

2"Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you offer me.

2"Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your way of consolation.

3Bear with me and I will speak, and after I have spoken you may mock.

3"Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may mock.

4Is my complaint against a man? If so, why should I not be impatient?

4"As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?

5Look at me and be appalled; put your hands over your mouths.

5"Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth.

6For, when I think about this, I am terrified and my body feels a shudder.

6"Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And horror takes hold of my flesh.

7"Why do the wicked go on living, grow old, even increase in power?

7"Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful?

8Their children are firmly established in their presence, their offspring before their eyes.

8"Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes,

9Their houses are safe and without fear; and no rod of punishment from God is upon them.

9Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them.

10Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry.

10"His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not abort.

11They allow their children to run like a flock; their little ones dance about.

11"They send forth their little ones like the flock, And their children skip about.

12They sing to the accompaniment of tambourine and harp, and make merry to the sound of the flute.

12"They sing to the timbrel and harp And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

13They live out their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.

13"They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol.

14So they say to God, 'Turn away from us! We do not want to know your ways.

14"They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain if we were to pray to him?'

15'Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we entreat Him?'

16But their prosperity is not their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me!

16"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17"How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished? How often does their misfortune come upon them? How often does God apportion pain to them in his anger?

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?

18How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff swept away by a whirlwind?

18"Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away?

19You may say, 'God stores up a man's punishment for his children!' Instead let him repay the man himself so that he may know it!

19"You say, 'God stores away a man's iniquity for his sons.' Let God repay him so that he may know it.

20Let his own eyes see his destruction; let him drink of the anger of the Almighty.

20"Let his own eyes see his decay, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21For what is his interest in his home after his death, when the number of his months has been broken off?

21"For what does he care for his household after him, When the number of his months is cut off?

22Can anyone teach God knowledge, since he judges those that are on high?

22"Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high?

23"One man dies in his full vigor, completely secure and prosperous,

23"One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied;

24his body well nourished, and the marrow of his bones moist.

24His sides are filled out with fat, And the marrow of his bones is moist,

25And another man dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted anything good.

25While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good.

26Together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover over them both.

26"Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them.

27"Yes, I know what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me.

27"Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plans by which you would wrong me.

28For you say, 'Where now is the nobleman's house, and where are the tents in which the wicked lived?'

28"For you say, 'Where is the house of the nobleman, And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?'

29Have you never questioned those who travel the roads? Do you not recognize their accounts--

29"Have you not asked wayfaring men, And do you not recognize their witness?

30that the evil man is spared from the day of his misfortune, that he is delivered from the day of God's wrath?

30"For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity; They will be led forth at the day of fury.

31No one denounces his conduct to his face; no one repays him for what he has done.

31"Who will confront him with his actions, And who will repay him for what he has done?

32And when he is carried to the tombs, and watch is kept over the funeral mound,

32"While he is carried to the grave, Men will keep watch over his tomb.

33The clods of the torrent valley are sweet to him; behind him everybody follows in procession, and before him goes a countless throng.

33"The clods of the valley will gently cover him; Moreover, all men will follow after him, While countless ones go before him.

34So how can you console me with your futile words? Nothing is left of your answers but deception!"

34"How then will you vainly comfort me, For your answers remain full of falsehood?"

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