Job 21:1-19
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 21
1Then Job responded,
2'Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your way of consolation.
3Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may mock me.
4As for me, is my complaint to a mortal? Or why should I not be impatient?
5Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth.
6Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And horror takes hold of my flesh.
7Why do the wicked still live, Grow old, and also become very powerful?
8Their descendants endure with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes,
9Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them.
10His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not miscarry.
11They send out their boys like the flock, And their children dance.
12They sing with the tambourine and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol.
14Yet they say to God, ‘Go away from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we plead with Him?’
16Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The advice of the wicked is far from me.
17'How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their disaster fall on them? Does God apportion destruction in His anger?
18Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘God saves up a person’s wrongdoing for his sons.’ Let God repay him so that he may know it.
King James Version
Chapter 21
1But Job answered and said, 2Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
6Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
7Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 21
1Then Job answered:
3Bear with me while I speak; then after I have spoken, you may continue mocking.
4As for me, is my complaint against a human being? Then why shouldn’t I be impatient?
5Look at me and shudder; put your hand over your mouth.
6When I think about it, I am terrified and my body trembles in horror.
7Why do the wicked continue to live, growing old and becoming powerful?
8Their children are established while they are still alive, and their descendants, before their eyes.
9Their homes are secure and free of fear; no rod from God strikes them.
10Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry.
11They let their little ones run around like lambs; their children skip about,
12singing to the tambourine and lyre and rejoicing at the sound of the flute.
13They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.
14Yet they say to God, "Leave us alone! We don’t want to know your ways.
15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him, and what will we gain by pleading with him?"
16But their prosperity is not of their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me!
17How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come on them? Does he apportion destruction in his anger?
18Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff a storm sweeps away?
19God reserves a person’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the person himself, so that he may know it.
New Living Translation
Chapter 21
1Then Job spoke again:
2'Listen closely to what I am saying. That’s one consolation you can give me.
3Bear with me, and let me speak. After I have spoken, you may resume mocking me.
4'My complaint is with God, not with people. I have good reason to be so impatient.
5Look at me and be stunned. Put your hand over your mouth in shock.
6When I think about what I am saying, I shudder. My body trembles.
7'Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?
8They live to see their children grow up and settle down, and they enjoy their grandchildren.
9Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them.
10Their bulls never fail to breed. Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.
11They let their children frisk about like lambs. Their little ones skip and dance.
12They sing with tambourine and harp. They celebrate to the sound of the flute.
13They spend their days in prosperity, then go down to the grave in peace.
14And yet they say to God, ‘Go away. We want no part of you and your ways.
15Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’
16(They think their prosperity is of their own doing, but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.)
English Standard Version
Chapter 21
1Then Job answered and said:
2 "Keep listening to my words, and let this be your comfort.
3Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.
4As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient?
5Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.
6When I remember, I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.
7 Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
8Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes.
9Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.
10Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry.
11They send out their little boys like a flock, and their children dance.
12They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
13They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.
14They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’
16Behold, is not their prosperity 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?
18That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that 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.
New International Version
Chapter 21
1Then Job replied:
3Bear with me while I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.
4"Is my complaint directed to a human being? Why should I not be impatient?
5Look at me and be appalled; clap your hand over your mouth.
6When I think about this, I am terrified; trembling seizes my body.
7Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
8They see their children established around them, their offspring before their eyes.
9Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not on them.
10Their bulls never fail to breed; their cows calve and do not miscarry.
11They send forth their children as a flock; their little ones dance about.
12They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre; they make merry to the sound of the pipe.
13They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.
14Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways.
15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?’
16But their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.
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?
18How often are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a gale?
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!
New King James Version
Chapter 21
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your consolation.
3Bear with me that I may speak, And after I have spoken, keep mocking.
4“As for me, is my complaint against man? And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
5Look at me and be astonished; Put your hand over your mouth.
6Even when I remember I am terrified, And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
7 Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?
8Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.
9Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.
10Their bull breeds without failure; Their cow calves without miscarriage.
11They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
12They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
13They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave.
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
16Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them, The sorrows God distributes in His anger?
18 They are like straw before the wind, And like chaff that a storm carries away.
19 They say, ‘God lays up one’s iniquity for his children’; Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.
