¹ Then Job answered and said,

^{2 Ref} Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.

^{3 Ref} Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.

^{4 Ref} As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?

^{5 Ref} Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.

^{6 Ref} Even when I remember I am troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh.

^{7 Ref} Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?

^{8 Ref} Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.

^{9 Ref} Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.

^{10 Ref} Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

^{11 Ref} They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.

^{12 Ref} They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.

^{13 Ref} They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol.

^{14 Ref} And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

^{15 Ref} What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

^{16 Ref} Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

^{17 Ref} How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That `God' distributeth sorrows in his anger?

^{18 Ref} That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?

^{19 Ref} `Ye say', God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:

^{20 Ref} Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

^{21 Ref} For what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off?

^{22 Ref} Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high?

^{23 Ref} One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet:

^{24 Ref} His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.

^{25 Ref} And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good.

^{26 Ref} They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.

^{27 Ref} Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me.

^{28 Ref} For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?

^{29 Ref} Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences,

^{30 Ref} That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath?

^{31 Ref} Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?

^{32 Ref} Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb.

^{33 Ref} The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.

^{34 Ref} How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth `only' falsehood?

¹ And Job answereth and saith: --

^{2 Ref} Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.

^{3 Ref} Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking -- ye may deride.

^{4 Ref} I -- to man `is' my complaint? and if `so', wherefore May not my temper become short?

^{5 Ref} Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.

^{6 Ref} Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.

^{7 Ref} Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.

^{8 Ref} Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.

^{9 Ref} Their houses `are' peace without fear, Nor `is' a rod of God upon them.

^{10 Ref} His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.

^{11 Ref} They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,

^{12 Ref} They lift `themselves' up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.

^{13 Ref} They wear out in good their days, And in a moment `to' Sheol go down.

^{14 Ref} And they say to God, `Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.

^{15 Ref} What `is' the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'

^{16 Ref} Lo, not in their hand `is' their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

^{17 Ref} How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.

^{18 Ref} They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,

^{19 Ref} God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him -- and he knoweth.

^{20 Ref} His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.

^{21 Ref} For what `is' his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?

^{22 Ref} To God doth `one' teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?

^{23 Ref} This `one' dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.

^{24 Ref} His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.

^{25 Ref} And this `one' dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.

^{26 Ref} Together -- on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.

^{27 Ref} Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.

^{28 Ref} For ye say, `Where `is' the house of the noble? And where the tent -- The tabernacles of the wicked?'

^{29 Ref} Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?

^{30 Ref} That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.

^{31 Ref} Who doth declare to his face his way? And `for' that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?

^{32 Ref} And he -- to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.

^{33 Ref} Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.

^{34 Ref} And how do ye comfort me `with' vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?