Job 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 21 ▼
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1 And Job answered and said: Then Job answered and said: Then Job replied:
2 “Listen carefully to my speech, and let this be your⁺ consolation. “Keep listening to my words, and let this be your comfort. “Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you give me.
3 Bear with me, and I will speak; and after I have spoken, you may mock. Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on. Bear with me while I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.
4 As for me, is my complaint against man? And if so, why should not my spirit be short? As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient? “Is my complaint directed to a human being? Why should I not be impatient?
5 Turn to me and be appalled, and put a hand over your mouth. Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth. Look at me and be appalled; clap your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember, then I am terrified, and trembling seizes my flesh. When I remember, I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh. When I think about this, I am terrified; trembling seizes my body.
7 Why do the wicked live on, growing old, even becoming mighty in power? Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power? Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
8 Their seed is established with them before their face, and their offspring before their eyes. Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes. They see their children established around them, their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from dread, and the rod of God is not upon them. Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them. Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not on them.
10 His bull passes over, without fail; his cow brings forth, and does not miscarry. Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry. Their bulls never fail to breed; their cows calve and do not miscarry.
11 They send forth their little boys like a flock, and their children skip about. They send out their little boys like a flock, and their children dance. They send forth their children as a flock; their little ones dance about.
12 They lift up to the tambourine and harp, and they rejoice at the sound of the flute. They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe. They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre; they make merry to the sound of the pipe.
13 They wear out their days in prosperity, and in peace go down to Sheol. They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol. They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.
14 And they said to God, ‘Turn away from us! For we do not delight to know Your ways. They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways.
15 What is Shaddai that we should serve Him? And what do we gain that we should meet with Him?’ What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’ Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?’
16 Behold, their own good is not in their hand; the counsel of the wicked is far from me. Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me. But their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, and their destruction comes upon them? The pains He apportions in His anger. “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? “Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does calamity come upon them, the fate God allots in his anger?
18 They become like straw before the face of the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries him away. That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away? How often are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a gale?
19 Does God store up for his sons his trouble? Let Him repay to him, and he will know. You say, ‘God stores up their iniquity for their children.’ Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it. It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’ Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it!
20 Let his eyes see his destruction, and let him drink from the wrath of Shaddai. Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty. Let their own eyes see their destruction; let them drink the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what is his delight in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off? For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off? For what do they care about the families they leave behind when their allotted months come to an end?
22 Can one teach knowledge to God, since He judges those being high? Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those who are on high? “Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since he judges even the highest?
23 This one dies in the bone of his perfection, all of him at ease and at rest; One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure, One person dies in full vigor, completely secure and at ease,
24 his pails are full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is moist. his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist. well nourished in body, bones rich with marrow.
25 And this one dies bitter in soul, and not having eaten of the good. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good.
26 Together upon the dust they lie down, and the worm covers them over. They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them. Side by side they lie in the dust, and worms cover them both.
27 Behold, I know your⁺ thoughts, and the notions you⁺ wrest upon me. “Behold, I know your thoughts and your schemes to wrong me. “I know full well what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 For you⁺ say, ‘Where is the house of the noble? And where is the tent of the habitation of the wicked?’ For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’ You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great, the tents where the wicked lived?’
29 Have you⁺ not asked those passing along the way, and do you⁺ not recognize their signs, Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony Have you never questioned those who travel? Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
30 that from a day of calamity the evil one is held back, and in the day of wrath they are brought forth? that the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath? that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity, that they are delivered from the day of wrath?
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? And who will repay him for what he has done? Who declares his way to his face, and who repays him for what he has done? Who denounces their conduct to their face? Who repays them for what they have done?
32 When he is brought along to the graves, then one keeps watch over his tomb. When he is carried to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb. They are carried to the grave, and watch is kept over their tombs.
33 The clods of the torrent are sweet to him; and after him every man will extend, and those before his face are without number. The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all mankind follows after him, and those who go before him are innumerable. The soil in the valley is sweet to them; everyone follows after them, and a countless throng goes before them.
34 And how can you⁺ comfort me in vain, and in your⁺ answers remains falsehood?” How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.” “So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”
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