Job 21

¹ Job answered, and said,

¹ But Job answered and said,

¹ Then Job ^(a)answered,

¹ Then Job answered:

¹ In response, Job said:

³ Suffer me a little, that I may speak also, and then laugh my words to scorn, if ye will.

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

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

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 Mark me well, and be abashed, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

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

⁵ “Look at me, and be astonished,And ^(D)put your hand over 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 "Wherefore do wicked men live in health and prosperity, come to their old age, and increase in riches?

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

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

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 safe from all fear, for the rod of God doth not smite them.

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

⁹ Their houses ^(I)are safe from fear,And the rod of God is not on 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 forth their children by flocks, and their sons lead the dance.

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

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

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 They spend their days in wealthiness: but suddenly, they go down to hell.

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

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

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 manner of fellow is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, to submit ourselves unto him?'

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

¹⁵ ‘⁽ⁱ⁾Who is ^(j)the Almighty, that we should serve Him,And ^(L)what would we gain if we entreat 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 oft shall the candle of the wicked be put out? How oft cometh their destruction upon them? Oh what sorrow shall God give them for their part in his wrath!

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 ^(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 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 And though God save their children from such sorrow, yet will he so reward themselves, that they shall know it.

¹⁹ God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know 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 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 careth he, what become of his household after his death, when the number of his months is cut short?

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 for his household ^(o)after him,When the number of his months is cut off?

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 dieth now when he is mighty and at his best, rich and in prosperity;

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

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

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 Another dieth in sorrow and heaviness, and never had good days.

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

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

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 "But I know what ye think; yea, and what ye imagine against me unrighteously.

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

²⁷ “Behold, I know your thoughts,And the plans by which you would wrong 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 Ask any man that goeth by the way, and - if ye will not regard their tokens and deeds - he shall tell you,

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

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

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 dare reprove him for his ways to his face? Who rewardeth him for the ungraciousness that he doth?

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

³¹ “Who will ^(t)confront him with his actions,And who will repay him for what he has 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 Then shall he be fain to be buried among the stones by the brookside. All men must follow him, and there are innumerable gone 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 ^(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 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.