Job 21

 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?