Job’s Reply to Zophar
2
Pay close attention to my words;
let this be the consolation you offer.
3 let this be the consolation you offer.
Bear with me while I speak;
then after I have spoken, you may continue mocking.
then after I have spoken, you may continue mocking.
4
5
6
7
Why do the wicked continue to live,
growing old and becoming powerful?
8 growing old and becoming powerful?
Their children are established while they are still alive,(a)
and their descendants, before their eyes.
9
10 and their descendants, before their eyes.
Their bulls breed without fail;
their cows calve and do not miscarry.
11 their cows calve and do not miscarry.
They let their little ones run around like lambs;
their children skip about,
12
13
14
15
16 their children skip about,
17
18
19
God reserves a person’s punishment for his children.(N)
Let God repay the person himself, so that he may know it.
20
21 Let God repay the person himself, so that he may know it.
For what does he care about his family once he is dead,(P)
when the number of his months has run out?(Q)
when the number of his months has run out?(Q)
27
I know your thoughts very well,
the schemes you would wrong me with.
28
29
30 the schemes you would wrong me with.
Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of disaster,
rescued from the day of wrath.
31
32 rescued from the day of wrath.
He is carried to the grave,
and someone keeps watch over his tomb.
33 and someone keeps watch over his tomb.
The dirt on his grave is(k) sweet to him.
Everyone follows behind him,
and those who go before him are without number.
Everyone follows behind him,
and those who go before him are without number.
Footnotes:
a.
Job 21:8: Lit established before them with them
b.
Job 21:13: Alt Hb tradition reads fully enjoy
c.
Job 21:17: Lit their disaster
d.
Job 21:22: Probably angels
e.
Job 21:23: Lit in bone of his perfection
f.
Job 21:23: Text emended; MT reads health, all at ease
g.
Job 21:24: Or His sides are; Hb obscure
h.
Job 21:24: Lit is full of milk
i.
Job 21:24: Lit and the marrow of his bones is watered
j.
Job 21:29: Lit signs
k.
Job 21:33: Lit The clods of the wadi are