Job 21New King James Version
Job’s Discourse on the Wicked
21 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your[a]consolation.
3 Bear with me that I may speak,
And after I have spoken, keep(A)mocking.
4 “As for me,ismy complaint against man?
And ifit were,why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be astonished;
(B)Putyourhand overyourmouth.
6 Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
7 (C)Why do the wicked liveandbecome old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their housesaresafe from fear,
(D)Neitheris[b]the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves(E)without miscarriage.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
13 They(F)spend their days in wealth,
And[c]in a moment go down to the[d]grave.
14 (G)Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 (H)Whoisthe Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And(I)what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
16 Indeed[e]their prosperityisnot in their hand;
(J)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
How oftendoes their destruction come upon them,
The sorrowsGod(K)distributes in His anger?
18 (L)They are like straw before the wind,
And like chaff that a storm[f]carries away.
19 They say,‘God[g]lays up[h]one’s iniquity(M)for his children’;
Let Him recompense him, that he may knowit.
20 Let his eyes see his destruction,
And(N)let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household after him,
When the number of his months is cut in half?
22 “Can(O)anyoneteach God knowledge,
Since He judges those on high?
23 One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and secure;
24 His[i]pails are full of milk,
And the marrow of his bones is moist.
25 Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
Never having eaten with pleasure.
26 They(P)lie down alike in the dust,
And worms cover them.
27 “Look, I know your thoughts,
And the schemeswith whichyou would wrong me.
28 For you say,
‘Whereisthe house of the prince?
And whereis[j]the tent,
The dwelling place of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the road?
And do you not know their signs?
30 (Q)For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom;
They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
31 Who condemns his way to his face?
And who repays himfor whathe has done?
32 Yet he shall be brought to the grave,
And a vigil kept over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him;
(R)Everyone shall follow him,
As countlesshave gonebefore him.
34 How then can you comfort me with empty words,
Since[k]falsehood remains in your answers?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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