Job 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 21 ▼
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1 And Job answers and says: Then Job answered and said: Then Job replied:
2 “Hear my word diligently, || And this is 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 speak, || And after my speaking—you may deride. 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 [Is] my complaint [against] man? And if [so], why may my temper not become 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 astonished, || And put hand to 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 Indeed, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh has taken fright. 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? They have become old, || Indeed, they have been mighty in wealth. 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, || Before their face with them, || 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] peace without fear, || Nor [is] a rod of God on 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 bullock breeds without fail. His cow brings forth safely, 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 sucklings as a flock, || And their children skip, 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 [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, || And rejoice at the sound of a pipe. 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 good, || And in a moment 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 say to God, Turn aside from us, || And the knowledge of Your ways || We have not desired. 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] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we 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 good [is] not in their hand || (The counsel of the wicked || Has been 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 extinguished, || And their calamity comes on them? He apportions pangs 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 are as straw before wind, || And as chaff a windstorm has stolen 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 God lays up for his sons his sorrow, || He gives repayment to him—and he knows. 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 His own eyes see his destruction, || And he drinks of the wrath of the Mighty. 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, || And the number of his months 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 Does [one] teach knowledge to God, || Since He judges [those] on 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 his perfect strength, || Wholly at ease and quiet. 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 breasts have been full of milk, || And marrow moistens his bones. 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 with a bitter soul, || And has not eaten with gladness. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good.
26 Together they lie down on the dust, || 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 have known your thoughts, || And the schemes against me you do wrongfully. “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 the tent—the dwelling places 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 by the way? And do you not know 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 the wicked is spared to a day of calamity. They are brought to a day of wrath. 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 declares his way to his face? And [for] that which he has done, || Who gives repayment to him? 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 And he is brought to the graves, || And a watch is kept over the heap. 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 valley have been sweet to him, || And he draws every man after him, || And there is no numbering before him. 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 do you comfort me [with] vanity, || And trespass has been left in your answers?” 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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