Job 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 21 ▼
swipe to see more →
YLT
Young's Literal Translation
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 And Job answereth and saith: -- Then Job answered and said: Then Job replied:
2 Hear ye diligently my word, 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 -- ye 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 I -- to man is my complaint? and if so, wherefore May not my temper 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 unto 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 Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath 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 Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, 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 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 bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth 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 as a flock their sucklings, 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 an organ. 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 in good their days, And in a moment to Sheol go down. 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 Thy 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 Lo, not in their hand is their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath 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 oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth 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 hurricane hath 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 layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him -- and he knoweth. 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 of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh. 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 To God doth one teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge? 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 dieth 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 his bones doth moisten. his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist. well nourished in body, bones rich with marrow.
25 And this one dieth with a bitter soul, And have 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 -- on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover 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 Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye 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 ye say, 'Where is the house of the noble? And where the tent -- The tabernacles 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 ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know? 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 to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought. 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 doth declare to his face his way? And for that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence 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 -- to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept. 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 Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering. 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 ye comfort me with vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass? 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!”
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page