| New International Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Then Job replied: | 1Then Job answered, |
| 2"Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you give me. | 2"Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your way of consolation. |
| 3Bear with me while I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on. | 3"Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may mock. |
| 4"Is my complaint directed to a human being? 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; clap your hand over your mouth. | 5"Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth. |
| 6When I think about this, I am terrified; trembling seizes my body. | 6"Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And horror takes hold of my flesh. |
| 7Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? | 7"Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful? |
| 8They see their children established around them, their offspring before their eyes. | 8"Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes, |
| 9Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not on them. | 9Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them. |
| 10Their bulls never fail to breed; their cows calve and do not miscarry. | 10"His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not abort. |
| 11They send forth their children as a flock; their little ones dance about. | 11"They send forth their little ones like the flock, And their children skip about. |
| 12They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre; they make merry 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 years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace. | 13"They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol. |
| 14Yet they say to God, 'Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways. | 14"They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways. |
| 15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?' | 15'Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we entreat Him?' |
| 16But their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked. | 16"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me. |
| 17"Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does calamity come upon them, the fate God allots 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? |
| 18How often are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a gale? | 18"Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away? |
| 19It is said, 'God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.' Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience 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; let them drink the cup 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 about the families they leave behind when their allotted months come to an end? | 21"For what does he care for his household after him, When the number of his months is cut off? |
| 22"Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since he judges even the highest? | 22"Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high? |
| 23One person dies in full vigor, completely secure and at ease, | 23"One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied; |
| 24well nourished in body, bones rich with marrow. | 24His sides are filled out with fat, And the marrow of his bones is moist, |
| 25Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good. | 25While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good. |
| 26Side by side they lie in the dust, and worms cover them both. | 26"Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them. |
| 27"I know full well what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me. | 27"Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plans by which you would wrong me. |
| 28You say, 'Where now is the house of the great, the tents where 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 never questioned those who travel? Have you paid no regard to their accounts-- | 29"Have you not asked wayfaring men, And do you not recognize their witness? |
| 30that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity, that they are delivered from 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 denounces their conduct to their face? Who repays them for what they have done? | 31"Who will confront him with his actions, And who will repay him for what he has done? |
| 32They are carried to the grave, and watch is kept over their tombs. | 32"While he is carried to the grave, Men will keep watch over his tomb. |
| 33The soil in the valley is sweet to them; everyone follows after them, and a countless throng goes before them. | 33"The clods of the valley will gently cover him; Moreover, all men will follow after him, While countless ones go before him. |
| 34"So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!" | 34"How then will you vainly comfort me, For your answers remain full of falsehood?" |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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