Book of Job, Chapter 21
Job 21 ASV - American Standard VersionChapter 21 of Job—American Standard Version (ASV)
- ¶ Then Job answered and said,
- ¶ Hear diligently my speech;
¶ And let this be your consolations. - ¶ Suffer me, and I also will speak;
¶ And after that I have spoken, [a]mock on. - ¶ As for me, is my complaint [b]to man?
¶ And why should I not be impatient? - ¶ [c]Mark me, and be astonished,
¶ And lay your hand upon your mouth. - ¶ Even when I remember I am troubled,
¶ And horror taketh hold on my flesh. - ¶ Wherefore do the wicked live,
¶ Become old, yea, wax mighty in power? - ¶ Their seed is established with them in their sight,
¶ And their offspring before their eyes. - ¶ Their houses are [d]safe from fear,
¶ Neither is the rod of God upon them. - ¶ Their bull gendereth, and faileth not;
¶ Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. - ¶ They send forth their little ones like a flock,
¶ And their children dance. - ¶ They [e]sing to the timbrel and harp,
¶ And rejoice at the sound of the pipe. - ¶ They spend their days in prosperity,
¶ And in a moment they go down to Sheol. - ¶ And they say unto God, Depart from us;
¶ For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. - ¶ What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
¶ And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? - ¶ [f]Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand:
¶ The counsel of the wicked is far from me. - ¶ [g]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? - ¶ That they are as stubble before the wind,
¶ And as chaff that the storm carrieth away? - ¶ [h]Ye say, God layeth up his iniquity for his children.
¶ Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it: - ¶ Let his own eyes see his destruction,
¶ And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty. - ¶ For what careth he for his house after him,
¶ When the number of his months is cut off? - ¶ Shall any teach God knowledge,
¶ Seeing he judgeth those that are high? - ¶ One dieth in his full strength,
¶ Being wholly at ease and quiet: - ¶ His pails are full of milk,
¶ And the marrow of his bones is moistened. - ¶ And another dieth in bitterness of soul,
¶ And never tasteth of good. - ¶ They lie down alike in the dust,
¶ And the worm covereth them. - ¶ Behold, I know your thoughts,
¶ And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me. - ¶ For ye say, Where is the house of the prince?
¶ And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt? - ¶ Have ye not asked wayfaring men?
¶ And do ye not know their evidences, - ¶ That the evil man is [i]reserved to the day of calamity?
¶ That they are [j]led forth to the day of wrath? - ¶ Who shall declare his way to his face?
¶ And who shall repay him what he hath done? - ¶ [k]Yet shall he be borne to the grave,
¶ And men shall keep watch over the tomb. - ¶ The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him,
¶ And all men shall draw after him,
¶ As there were innumerable before him. - ¶ How then comfort ye me [l]in vain,
¶ Seeing in your answers there remaineth only [m]falsehood?
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Or, thou shalt mock
- ^ Or, of
- ^ Hebrew Look unto me.
- ^ Or, in peace, without fear
- ^ Hebrew lift up the voice.
- ^ Or, Ye say, Lo etc.
- ^ Or, How oft is the lamp of the wicked put out, And how oft cometh their calamity upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. They are as stubble . . . away.
- ^ Or, God layeth up his iniquity for his children: He rewardeth him, and he shall know it. His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink etc.
- ^ Or, spared in etc.
- ^ Or, led away in etc.
- ^ Or, Moreover he is borne to the grave, And keepeth watch over his tomb. The clods of the valley are sweet unto him; And all men draw etc.
- ^ Or, with vanity
- ^ Or, faithlessness
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