¹ Then Job answered,

^{2 Ref} "Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.

^{3 Ref} Allow me, and I also will speak; After I have spoken, mock on.

^{4 Ref} As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn't I be impatient?

^{5 Ref} Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.

^{6 Ref} When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.

^{7 Ref} "Why do the wicked live, Become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?

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

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

^{10 Ref} Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don't miscarry.

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

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

^{13 Ref} They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol.

^{14 Ref} They tell God, 'Depart from us, For we don't want to know about your ways.

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

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

^{17 Ref} "How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes on them? That God distributes sorrows in his anger?

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

^{19 Ref} You say, 'God lays up his iniquity for his children.' Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.

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

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

^{22 Ref} "Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judges those who are high?

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

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

^{25 Ref} Another dies in bitterness of soul, And never tastes of good.

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

^{27 Ref} "Behold, I know your thoughts, The devices with which you would wrong me.

^{28 Ref} For you say, 'Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?'

^{29 Ref} Haven't you asked wayfaring men? Don't you 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? Who shall repay him what he has done?

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

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

^{34 Ref} So how can you comfort me with nonsense, Seeing that in your answers there remains 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?

¹ Then Job made answer and said,

^{2 Ref} Give attention with care to my words; and let this be your comfort.

^{3 Ref} Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.

^{4 Ref} As for me, is my outcry against man? is it then to be wondered at if my spirit is troubled?

^{5 Ref} Take note of me and be full of wonder, put your hand on your mouth.

^{6 Ref} At the very thought of it my flesh is shaking with fear.

^{7 Ref} Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power?

^{8 Ref} Their children are ever with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

^{9 Ref} Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them.

^{10 Ref} Their ox is ready at all times to give seed; their cow gives birth, without dropping her young.

^{11 Ref} They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance,

^{12 Ref} They make songs to the instruments of music, and are glad at the sound of the pipe.

^{13 Ref} Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld.

^{14 Ref} Though they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways.

^{15 Ref} What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him?

^{16 Ref} Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)

^{17 Ref} How frequently is the light of the evil-doers put out, or does trouble come on them? how frequently does his wrath take them with cords?

^{18 Ref} How frequently are they as dry stems before the wind, or as grass taken away by the storm-wind?

^{19 Ref} You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it!

^{20 Ref} Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all!

^{21 Ref} For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended?

^{22 Ref} Is anyone able to give teaching to God? for he is the judge of those who are on high.

^{23 Ref} One comes to his end in complete well-being, full of peace and quiet:

^{24 Ref} His buckets are full of milk, and there is no loss of strength in his bones.

^{25 Ref} And another comes to his end with a bitter soul, without ever tasting good.

^{26 Ref} Together they go down to the dust, and are covered by the worm.

^{27 Ref} See, I am conscious of your thoughts, and of your violent purposes against me;

^{28 Ref} For you say, Where is the house of the ruler, and where is the tent of the evil-doer?

^{29 Ref} Have you not put the question to the travellers, and do you not take note of their experience?

^{30 Ref} How the evil man goes free in the day of trouble, and has salvation in the day of wrath?

^{31 Ref} Who will make his way clear to his face? and if he has done a thing, who gives him punishment for it?

^{32 Ref} He is taken to his last resting-place, and keeps watch over it.

^{33 Ref} The earth of the valley covering his bones is sweet to him, and all men come after him, as there were unnumbered before him.

^{34 Ref} Why then do you give me comfort with words in which there is no profit, when you see that there is nothing in your answers but deceit?