English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Job answered and said:

1Then Job answered,

2“Keep listening to my words, and let this be your comfort.

2"Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your way of consolation.

3Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.

3"Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may mock.

4As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient?

4"As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?

5Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.

5"Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth.

6When I remember, I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.

6"Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And horror takes hold of my flesh.

7Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

7"Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful?

8Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes.

8"Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes,

9Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.

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

10Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry.

10"His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not abort.

11They send out their little boys like a flock, and their children dance.

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

12They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

12"They sing to the timbrel and harp And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

13They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.

13"They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol.

14They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.

14"They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’

15'Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we entreat Him?'

16Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

16"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17“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?

17"How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their calamity fall on them? Does God apportion destruction in His anger?

18That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?

18"Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away?

19You say, ‘God stores up their iniquity for their children.’ Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it.

19"You say, 'God stores away a man's iniquity for his sons.' Let God repay him so that he may know it.

20Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

20"Let his own eyes see his decay, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off?

21"For what does he care for his household after him, When the number of his months is cut off?

22Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those who are on high?

22"Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high?

23One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure,

23"One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied;

24his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.

24His sides are filled out with fat, And the marrow of his bones is moist,

25Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity.

25While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good.

26They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.

26"Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them.

27“Behold, I know your thoughts and your schemes to wrong me.

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

28For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’

28"For you say, 'Where is the house of the nobleman, And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?'

29Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony

29"Have you not asked wayfaring men, And do you not recognize their witness?

30that the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath?

30"For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity; They will be led forth at the day of fury.

31Who declares his way to his face, and who repays him for what he has done?

31"Who will confront him with his actions, And who will repay him for what he has done?

32When he is carried to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.

32"While he is carried to the grave, Men will keep watch over his tomb.

33The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all mankind follows after him, and those who go before him are innumerable.

33"The clods of the valley will gently cover him; Moreover, all men will follow after him, While countless ones go before him.

34How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”

34"How then will you vainly comfort me, For your answers remain full of falsehood?"

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