Job 21

¹Then Job answered and said, ²Hear diligently my speech; and let this be your consolations. ³Suffer me, and I also will speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on. ⁴As for me, is my complaint to man? and why should I not be impatient? ⁵Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth. ⁶Even when I remember I am troubled, and horror taketh hold on my flesh. ⁷Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, wax mighty in power? ⁸Their seed is 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 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 sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe. ¹³They spend their days in prosperity, and in a moment they go down to Sheol. ¹⁴Yet they said 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 prosperity is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me. ¹⁷How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? that their calamity cometh upon them? that Goddistributeth sorrows in his anger? ¹⁸That they are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away? ¹⁹Ye say, God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it. ²⁰Let his own eyes see his destruction, and let him 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 the marrow of his bones is moistened. ²⁵And another dieth in bitterness of soul, and never tasteth of good. ²⁶They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm covereth 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 is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt? ²⁹Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens? ³⁰That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? that they are led 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 borne to the grave, and shall keep watch over the tomb. ³³The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and all men shall draw after him, as there were innumerable before him. ³⁴How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth only falsehood?