The Holy Bible
« Chapter 20 «--- Job ---» Chapter 22»
Job 21 : 1 - 34
Chapter 21
1 | Then Job answered and said:
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2 | "Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your consolation.
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3 | Bear with me that I may speak, And after I have spoken, keep mocking.
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4 | "As for me, is my complaint against man? And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
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5 | Look at me and be astonished; Put your hand over your mouth.
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6 | Even when I remember I am terrified, And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
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7 | Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?
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8 | Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.
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9 | Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.
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10 | Their bull breeds without failure; Their cow calves without miscarriage.
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11 | They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
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12 | They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
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13 | They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave.
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14 | Yet they say to God, "Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
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15 | Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?'
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16 | Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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17 | "How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them, The sorrows God distributes in His anger?
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18 | They are like straw before the wind, And like chaff that a storm carries away.
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19 | They say, "God lays up one's iniquity for his children'; Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.
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20 | Let his eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
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21 | For what does he care about his household after him, When the number of his months is cut in half?
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22 | "Can anyone teach God knowledge, Since He judges those on high?
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23 | One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and secure;
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24 | His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moist.
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25 | Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, Never having eaten with pleasure.
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26 | They lie down alike in the dust, And worms cover them.
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27 | "Look, I know your thoughts, And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
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28 | For you say, "Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent, The dwelling place of the wicked?'
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29 | Have you not asked those who travel the road? And do you not know their signs?
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30 | For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom; They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
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31 | Who condemns his way to his face? And who repays him for what he has done?
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32 | Yet he shall be brought to the grave, And a vigil kept over the tomb.
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33 | The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him; Everyone shall follow him, As countless have gone before him.
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34 | How then can you comfort me with empty words, Since falsehood remains in your answers?"
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Acknowledgement
Opening page