Job 21

¹ Then Job made answer and said,

¹ Then Job ^(a)answered,

¹ But Job answered and said,

¹ Then Job answered:

¹ In response, Job said:

³ Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.

³ “Bear with me that I may speak;Then after I have spoken, you may ^(A)mock.

³ Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

³ Bear with me while I speak;then after I have spoken, you may continue mocking.

³ Bear with me and let me speak! Then, after I've spoken, you'll be free to mock me.

⁵ Take note of me and be full of wonder, put your hand on your mouth.

⁵ “Look at me, and be astonished,And ^(D)put your hand over your mouth.

⁵ Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

⁵ Look at me and shudder;^(B)put your hand over your mouth.^(C)

⁵ Look at me, be appalled, and then shut up!

⁷ Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power?

⁷ “Why ^(F)do the wicked still live,Continue on, also become very ^(G)powerful?

⁷ Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

⁷ Why do the wicked continue to live,growing old and becoming powerful?

⁷ "Why do the wicked live to reach old age and increase in power and wealth, too?

⁹ Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them.

⁹ Their houses ^(I)are safe from fear,And the rod of God is not on them.

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

⁹ Their homes are secure and free of fear;^(E)no rod from God strikes them.^(F)

⁹ Their houses are safe from fear, and God's chastisement never visits them.

¹¹ They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance,

¹¹ “They send forth their little ones like the flock,And their children skip about.

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

¹¹ They let their little ones run around like lambs;their children skip about,

¹¹ They release their children to play like sheep; their young ones dance about,

¹³ Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld.

¹³ “They ^(J)spend their days in prosperity,And ^(g)suddenly they go down to ^(h)Sheol.

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

¹³ They spend^(b) their days in prosperity^(H)and go down to Sheol in peace.

¹³ They grow old in prosperity, as they descend peacefully into the afterlife.

¹⁵ What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him?

¹⁵ ‘⁽ⁱ⁾Who is ^(j)the Almighty, that we should serve Him,And ^(L)what would we gain if we entreat Him?’

¹⁵ What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

¹⁵ Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him,and what will we gain by pleading with Him?”^(J)

¹⁵ Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? Where's the profit in talking to him?'

¹⁷ How frequently is the light of the evil-doers put out, or does trouble come on them? how frequently does his wrath take them with cords?

¹⁷ “How often is ^(N)the lamp of the wicked put out,Or does their ^(O)calamity fall on them?Does ^(k)God apportion destruction in His anger?

¹⁷ How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

¹⁷ How often is the lamp^(L) of the wicked put out?Does disaster^(c) come on them?Does He apportion destruction in His anger?

¹⁷ "How often do the wicked have their lights put out? Does calamity ever fall on them? Will God in his anger ever apportion their destruction?

¹⁹ You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it!

¹⁹ “You say, ‘^(R)God stores away ^(l)a man’s iniquity for his sons.’Let ^(m)God repay him so that he may know it.

¹⁹ God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.

¹⁹ God reserves a person’s punishment for his children.^(N)Let God repay the person himself, so that he may know it.

¹⁹ God stores up their iniquity to repay their children; making them repay so that they may be aware.

²¹ For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended?

²¹ “For what does he care for his household ^(o)after him,When the number of his months is cut off?

²¹ For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?

²¹ For what does he care about his family once he is dead,^(P)when the number of his months has run out?^(Q)

²¹ What will they care for their household after them, when the number of his months comes to an end?"

²³ One comes to his end in complete well-being, full of peace and quiet:

²³ “One ^(W)dies in his full strength,Being wholly at ease and ^(p)satisfied;

²³ One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

²³ One person dies in excellent health,^(e)completely secure^(f) and at ease.

²³ Such persons will die in their full vigor, completely prosperous and secure.

²⁵ And another comes to his end with a bitter soul, without ever tasting good.

²⁵ While another dies with a bitter soul,Never even ^(r)tasting anything good.

²⁵ And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.

²⁵ Yet another person dies with a bitter^(S) soul,having never tasted prosperity.

²⁵ Others die with a bitter soul, never having tasted the good life.

²⁷ See, I am conscious of your thoughts, and of your violent purposes against me;

²⁷ “Behold, I know your thoughts,And the plans by which you would wrong me.

²⁷ Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.

²⁷ I know your thoughts very well,the schemes you would wrong me with.

²⁷ "Look! I know your thoughts, your plans are going to harm me.

²⁹ Have you not put the question to the travellers, and do you not take note of their experience?

²⁹ “Have you not asked wayfaring men,And do you not recognize their ^(s)witness?

²⁹ Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

²⁹ Have you never consulted those who travel the roads?Don’t you accept their reports?^(j)

²⁹ Haven't you asked travelers on the highway? Don't you accept their word

³¹ Who will make his way clear to his face? and if he has done a thing, who gives him punishment for it?

³¹ “Who will ^(t)confront him with his actions,And who will repay him for what he has done?

³¹ Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?

³¹ Who would denounce his behavior to his face?Who would repay^(V) him for what he has done?

³¹ Who will expose his conduct to his face? Who will repay him for what he has done

³³ The earth of the valley covering his bones is sweet to him, and all men come after him, as there were unnumbered before him.

³³ “The ^(AE)clods of the valley will ^(u)gently cover him;Moreover, ^(AF)all men will ^(v)follow after him,While countless ones go before him.

³³ The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

³³ The dirt on his grave is^(k) sweet to him.Everyone follows behind him,and those who go before him are without number.

³³ The runoff from the streams will seem sweet to him; everyone will follow after him; countless crows march ahead of him.