New King James Version

English Standard Version

1Then Job answered and said:

1Then Job answered and said:

2“Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your consolation.

2“Keep listening to my words, and let this be your comfort.

3Bear with me that I may speak, And after I have spoken, keep mocking.

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

4“As for me, is my complaint against man? And if it were, why should I not be impatient?

4As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient?

5Look at me and be astonished; Put your hand over your mouth.

5Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.

6Even when I remember I am terrified, And trembling takes hold of my flesh.

6When I remember, I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.

7Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?

7Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

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

8Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes.

9Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.

9Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.

10Their bull breeds without failure; Their cow calves without miscarriage.

10Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry.

11They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.

11They send out their little boys like a flock, and their children dance.

12They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice to the sound of the flute.

12They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

13They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave.

13They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.

14Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

14They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.

15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’

15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’

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

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

17“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them, The sorrows God distributes in His anger?

17“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains in his anger?

18They are like straw before the wind, And like chaff that a storm carries away.

18That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?

19They say, ‘God lays up one’s iniquity for his children’; Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.

19You say, ‘God stores up their iniquity for their children.’ Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it.

20Let his eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

20Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21For what does he care about his household after him, When the number of his months is cut in half?

21For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off?

22“Can anyone teach God knowledge, Since He judges those on high?

22Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those who are on high?

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

23One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure,

24His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moist.

24his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.

25Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, Never having eaten with pleasure.

25Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity.

26They lie down alike in the dust, And worms cover them.

26They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.

27“Look, I know your thoughts, And the schemes with which you would wrong me.

27“Behold, I know your thoughts and your schemes to wrong me.

28For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent, The dwelling place of the wicked?’

28For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’

29Have you not asked those who travel the road? And do you not know their signs?

29Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony

30For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom; They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.

30that the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath?

31Who condemns his way to his face? And who repays him for what he has done?

31Who declares his way to his face, and who repays him for what he has done?

32Yet he shall be brought to the grave, And a vigil kept over the tomb.

32When he is carried to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.

33The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him; Everyone shall follow him, As countless have gone before him.

33The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all mankind follows after him, and those who go before him are innumerable.

34How then can you comfort me with empty words, Since falsehood remains in your answers?”

34How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.