Job

Chapter 21

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¹But Job answered and said,²Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.³Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.⁴As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?⁵Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.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?⁸Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.⁹Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.¹⁰Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.¹¹They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.¹²They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.¹³They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.¹⁴Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.¹⁵What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?¹⁶Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.¹⁷How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.¹⁸They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.¹⁹God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.²⁰His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.²¹For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?²²Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.²³One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.²⁴His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.²⁵And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.²⁶They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.²⁷Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.²⁸For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?²⁹Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,³⁰That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.³¹Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?³²Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.³³The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.³⁴How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?