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Job 21-24
New American Standard Bible

Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked

21 Then Job responded,

2 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your way of consolation.
3 Bear with me that I may speak;
Then after I have spoken, you may (A)mock me.
4 As for me, is (B)my complaint [a]to a mortal?
Or (C)why should [b]I not be impatient?
5 Look at me, and be astonished,
And (D)put your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember, I am disturbed,
And (E)horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 Why (F)do the wicked still live,
Grow old, and also become very [c](G)powerful?
8 Their [d](H)descendants endure with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes,
9 Their houses (I)are safe from fear,
And the [e]rod of God is not on them.
10 His ox mates [f]without fail;
His cow calves and does not miscarry.
11 They send out their boys like the flock,
And their children dance.
12 They [g]sing with the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13 They (J)spend their days in prosperity,
And [h]suddenly they go down to [i]Sheol.
14 Yet they say to God, ‘(K)Go away from us!
We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 [j]Who is [k]the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
And (L)what would we gain if we plead with Him?’
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;
The (M)advice of the wicked is far from me.

17 “How often is (N)the lamp of the wicked put out,
Or does their (O)disaster fall on them?
Does [l]God apportion destruction in His anger?
18 Are they as (P)straw before the wind,
And like (Q)chaff which the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘(R)God saves up [m]a person’s [n]wrongdoing for his sons.’
Let [o]God repay him so that he may know it.
20 Let his (S)own eyes see his destruction,
And let him (T)drink of the wrath of [p]the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household [q]after him,
When the number of his months is at an end?
22 Can anyone (U)teach God knowledge,
In that He (V)judges those on high?
23 One (W)dies in his full strength,
Being wholly undisturbed and at ease;
24 His [r]sides are filled with fat,
And the (X)marrow of his bones is wet,
25 While another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even [s]tasting anything good.
26 Together they (Y)lie down in the dust,
And (Z)maggots cover them.

27 “Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the plots you devise against me.
28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of (AA)the nobleman,
And where is the (AB)tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked travelers,
And do you not examine their [t]evidence?
30 For the (AC)wicked person is spared [u]a day of disaster;
They [v]are led away from (AD)a day of fury.
31 Who [w]confronts him with his actions,
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 When he is carried to the grave,
People will keep watch over his tomb.
33 The (AE)clods of the valley will [x]gently cover him;
Moreover, (AF)all mankind will [y]follow after him,
While countless others go before him.
34 So how dare you give me empty (AG)comfort?
For your answers remain nothing but falsehood!”

Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

2 “Can a strong (AH)man be of use to God,
Or a wise one be useful to himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to [z]the Almighty if you are righteous,
Or gain if you make your ways blameless?
4 Is it because of your [aa]reverence that He punishes you,
That He (AI)enters into judgment against you?
5 Is (AJ)your wickedness not abundant,
And is there no end to your guilty deeds?
6 For you have (AK)seized pledges from your brothers without cause,
And [ab](AL)stripped people naked.
7 You have (AM)given the weary no water to drink,
And you have (AN)withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But the earth (AO)belongs to the (AP)powerful man,
And (AQ)the one who is honorable dwells on it.
9 You have sent (AR)widows away empty,
And the [ac]strength of (AS)orphans has been crushed.
10 Therefore (AT)traps surround you,
And sudden (AU)dread terrifies you,
11 Or (AV)darkness, so that you cannot see,
And a (AW)flood of water covers you.

12 “Is God not (AX)in the height of heaven?
Look also at the [ad]highest stars, how high they are!
13 But you say, ‘(AY)What does God know?
Can He judge through the thick darkness?
14 (AZ)Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;
And He walks on the [ae]vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the ancient path
Which (BA)wicked people have walked,
16 Who were snatched away (BB)before their time,
Whose (BC)foundations were [af]washed away by a river?
17 They (BD)said to God, ‘Go away from us!’
And ‘What can [ag]the Almighty do to them?’
18 Yet He (BE)filled their houses with good things;
But (BF)the advice of the wicked is far from me.
19 The (BG)righteous see and are glad,
And the innocent mock them, saying,
20 ‘Truly our enemies are eliminated,
And (BH)fire has consumed their [ah]abundance.’

21 “(BI)Be reconciled with Him, and be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Please receive [ai](BJ)instruction from His mouth,
And put His words in your heart.
23 If you (BK)return to [aj]the Almighty, you will be [ak]restored;
If you (BL)remove injustice far from your tent,
24 And (BM)put your [al]gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 Then [am]the Almighty will be your [an]gold
And abundant silver to you.
26 For then you will (BN)take pleasure in [ao]the Almighty
And lift up your face to God.
27 You will (BO)pray to Him, and (BP)He will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also decide something, and it will be established for you;
And (BQ)light will shine on your ways.
29 When [ap]they have brought you low, you will speak with [aq]confidence,
And He will save the [ar](BR)humble person.
30 He will rescue one who is not innocent,
And he will be (BS)rescued due to the cleanness of your hands.”

Job Says He Longs for God

23 Then Job responded,

2 “Even today my (BT)complaint is rebellion;
[as]His hand is (BU)heavy despite my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew how to find Him,
That I might come to His home!
4 I would (BV)present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn the words which He would [at]answer,
And perceive what He would tell me.
6 Would He contend with me by (BW)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 There the upright would (BX)argue with Him;
And I [au]would be (BY)free of my Judge forever.

8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I (BZ)cannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him;
He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him.
10 But He knows the [av]way I take;
When He has (CA)put me to the test, I will come out as gold.
11 My foot has (CB)held on to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not [aw]failed the command of His lips;
I have treasured the (CC)words of His mouth [ax]more than my [ay]necessary food.
13 But He is unique, and who can [az]make Him turn?
Whatever His soul desires, He does it.
14 For He carries out what is destined for me,
And many such destinies are with Him.
15 Therefore, I would be terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am frightened of Him.
16 It is God who has made my (CD)heart faint,
And the Almighty who has terrified me,
17 But I (CE)am not destroyed by darkness,
Nor by (CF)deep gloom which covers me.

Job Says God Seems to Ignore Wrongs

24 “(CG)Why are [ba]times not stored up by the Almighty,
And why do those who know Him not see (CH)His [bb]days?
2 People (CI)remove landmarks;
They seize and [bc]devour flocks.
3 They drive away the donkeys of (CJ)orphans;
They seize the (CK)widow’s ox as a pledge.
4 They push (CL)the needy aside from the road;
The (CM)poor of the land have to hide themselves together.
5 Behold, like (CN)wild donkeys in the wilderness
They (CO)go out scavenging for food in their activity,
As [bd]bread for their children in the desert.
6 They harvest their feed in the field
And glean the vineyard of the wicked.
7 (CP)They spend the night naked, without clothing,
And have no covering against the cold.
8 They are wet from the mountain rains,
And they hug the rock for lack of a shelter.
9 Others snatch an (CQ)orphan from the breast,
And they seize it as a pledge against the poor.
10 The poor move about naked without clothing,
And they carry sheaves, while going hungry.
11 Within the walls they produce oil;
They tread wine presses but go thirsty.
12 From the city people groan,
And the souls of the wounded cry for help;
Yet God (CR)does not pay attention to the offensiveness.

13 “[be]Others have been with those who rebel against the light;
They do not want to know its ways
Nor stay in its paths.
14 The murderer (CS)arises at dawn;
He (CT)kills the poor and the needy,
And at night he is like a thief.
15 The eye of the (CU)adulterer watches for [bf]twilight,
Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’
And he [bg]disguises his face.
16 In the darkness they (CV)dig into houses,
They (CW)shut themselves up by day;
They do not know the light.
17 For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness,
For he is familiar with the (CX)terrors of thick darkness.

18 “They are [bh](CY)insignificant on the surface of the water;
Their plot of land on the earth is (CZ)cursed.
They do not turn [bi]toward the (DA)vineyards.
19 Dryness and heat (DB)snatch away the snow waters,
As [bj](DC)Sheol snatches those who have sinned.
20 A [bk](DD)mother will forget him;
The (DE)maggot feeds sweetly until he is (DF)no longer remembered.
And injustice will be broken (DG)like a tree.
21 He wrongs the [bl]infertile woman,
And does no good for (DH)the widow.
22 But He drags off the mighty by (DI)His power;
He rises, but (DJ)no one has assurance of life.
23 He provides them (DK)with security, and they are supported;
And His (DL)eyes are on their ways.
24 They are exalted a (DM)little while, then they are gone;
Moreover, they are (DN)brought low, and like everything they are gathered up;
Like the heads of grain they wither.
25 Now if it is not so, (DO)who can prove me a liar,
And make my speech worthless?”

Footnotes

  1. Job 21:4 Or against
  2. Job 21:4 Lit my spirit
  3. Job 21:7 Or superior
  4. Job 21:8 Lit seed
  5. Job 21:9 I.e., punishment
  6. Job 21:10 Lit and does not fail
  7. Job 21:12 Lit lifted up the voice
  8. Job 21:13 Or in peacefulness
  9. Job 21:13 I.e., the netherworld
  10. Job 21:15 Lit What
  11. Job 21:15 Heb Shaddai
  12. Job 21:17 Lit He
  13. Job 21:19 Lit his
  14. Job 21:19 Or disaster
  15. Job 21:19 Lit Him
  16. Job 21:20 Heb Shaddai
  17. Job 21:21 I.e., after he dies
  18. Job 21:24 As in Syriac; Heb uncertain. Some render as his pails are full of milk
  19. Job 21:25 Lit eating
  20. Job 21:29 Lit signs
  21. Job 21:30 Or for the day
  22. Job 21:30 Or will be led to the day
  23. Job 21:31 Lit declares his way to his face
  24. Job 21:33 Lit be sweet to him
  25. Job 21:33 Lit draw
  26. Job 22:3 Heb Shaddai
  27. Job 22:4 Or fear
  28. Job 22:6 Lit stripped clothing of the naked
  29. Job 22:9 Lit arms
  30. Job 22:12 Lit head, top-most
  31. Job 22:14 Lit circle
  32. Job 22:16 Lit poured out
  33. Job 22:17 Heb Shaddai
  34. Job 22:20 Or excess
  35. Job 22:22 Or law
  36. Job 22:23 Heb Shaddai
  37. Job 22:23 Lit built up
  38. Job 22:24 Lit ore
  39. Job 22:25 Heb Shaddai
  40. Job 22:25 Lit ore
  41. Job 22:26 Heb Shaddai
  42. Job 22:29 Lit they cast you down
  43. Job 22:29 Lit pride
  44. Job 22:29 Lit lowly of eyes
  45. Job 23:2 As in LXX and Syriac; MT My
  46. Job 23:5 Lit answer me
  47. Job 23:7 Or bring forth my justice forever
  48. Job 23:10 Lit way with me
  49. Job 23:12 Lit ceased from
  50. Job 23:12 Or with some ancient versions, in my breast
  51. Job 23:12 Lit prescribed portion
  52. Job 23:13 Or deprive Him of anything
  53. Job 24:1 I.e., of judgment for the wicked
  54. Job 24:1 I.e., of judgment for the wicked
  55. Job 24:2 Or pasture
  56. Job 24:5 Lit his bread
  57. Job 24:13 Lit They
  58. Job 24:15 Lit the twilight
  59. Job 24:15 Or puts a covering on his face
  60. Job 24:18 Or light; or swift
  61. Job 24:18 Lit to the path of
  62. Job 24:19 I.e., the netherworld
  63. Job 24:20 Lit womb
  64. Job 24:21 Lit infertile who does not bear
Listen to Job 21-24
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Job 21-24
New International Version

Job

21 Then Job replied:

2 “Listen carefully to my words;(A)
    let this be the consolation you give me.(B)
3 Bear with me while I speak,
    and after I have spoken, mock on.(C)

4 “Is my complaint(D) directed to a human being?
    Why should I not be impatient?(E)
5 Look at me and be appalled;
    clap your hand over your mouth.(F)
6 When I think about this, I am terrified;(G)
    trembling seizes my body.(H)
7 Why do the wicked live on,
    growing old and increasing in power?(I)
8 They see their children established around them,
    their offspring before their eyes.(J)
9 Their homes are safe and free from fear;(K)
    the rod of God is not on them.(L)
10 Their bulls never fail to breed;
    their cows calve and do not miscarry.(M)
11 They send forth their children as a flock;(N)
    their little ones dance about.
12 They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;(O)
    they make merry to the sound of the pipe.(P)
13 They spend their years in prosperity(Q)
    and go down to the grave(R) in peace.[a](S)
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!(T)
    We have no desire to know your ways.(U)
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
    What would we gain by praying to him?’(V)
16 But their prosperity is not in their own hands,
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(W)

17 “Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out?(X)
    How often does calamity(Y) come upon them,
    the fate God allots in his anger?(Z)
18 How often are they like straw before the wind,
    like chaff(AA) swept away(AB) by a gale?(AC)
19 It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’(AD)
    Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it!(AE)
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction;(AF)
    let them drink(AG) the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.(AH)
21 For what do they care about the families they leave behind(AI)
    when their allotted months(AJ) come to an end?(AK)

22 “Can anyone teach knowledge to God,(AL)
    since he judges even the highest?(AM)
23 One person dies in full vigor,(AN)
    completely secure and at ease,(AO)
24 well nourished(AP) in body,[b]
    bones(AQ) rich with marrow.(AR)
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul,(AS)
    never having enjoyed anything good.
26 Side by side they lie in the dust,(AT)
    and worms(AU) cover them both.(AV)

27 “I know full well what you are thinking,
    the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,(AW)
    the tents where the wicked lived?’(AX)
29 Have you never questioned those who travel?
    Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
30 that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,(AY)
    that they are delivered from[c] the day of wrath?(AZ)
31 Who denounces their conduct to their face?
    Who repays them for what they have done?(BA)
32 They are carried to the grave,
    and watch is kept over their tombs.(BB)
33 The soil in the valley is sweet to them;(BC)
    everyone follows after them,
    and a countless throng goes[d] before them.(BD)

34 “So how can you console me(BE) with your nonsense?
    Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”(BF)

Eliphaz

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(BG) replied:

2 “Can a man be of benefit to God?(BH)
    Can even a wise person benefit him?(BI)
3 What pleasure(BJ) would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?(BK)
    What would he gain if your ways were blameless?(BL)

4 “Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
    and brings charges against you?(BM)
5 Is not your wickedness great?
    Are not your sins(BN) endless?(BO)
6 You demanded security(BP) from your relatives for no reason;(BQ)
    you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.(BR)
7 You gave no water(BS) to the weary
    and you withheld food from the hungry,(BT)
8 though you were a powerful man, owning land(BU)—
    an honored man,(BV) living on it.(BW)
9 And you sent widows(BX) away empty-handed(BY)
    and broke the strength of the fatherless.(BZ)
10 That is why snares(CA) are all around you,(CB)
    why sudden peril terrifies you,(CC)
11 why it is so dark(CD) you cannot see,
    and why a flood of water covers you.(CE)

12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven?(CF)
    And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know?(CG)
    Does he judge through such darkness?(CH)
14 Thick clouds(CI) veil him, so he does not see us(CJ)
    as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’(CK)
15 Will you keep to the old path
    that the wicked(CL) have trod?(CM)
16 They were carried off before their time,(CN)
    their foundations(CO) washed away by a flood.(CP)
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    What can the Almighty do to us?’(CQ)
18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,(CR)
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(CS)
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;(CT)
    the innocent mock(CU) them, saying,
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed,(CV)
    and fire(CW) devours their wealth.’

21 “Submit to God and be at peace(CX) with him;(CY)
    in this way prosperity will come to you.(CZ)
22 Accept instruction from his mouth(DA)
    and lay up his words(DB) in your heart.(DC)
23 If you return(DD) to the Almighty, you will be restored:(DE)
    If you remove wickedness far from your tent(DF)
24 and assign your nuggets(DG) to the dust,
    your gold(DH) of Ophir(DI) to the rocks in the ravines,(DJ)
25 then the Almighty will be your gold,(DK)
    the choicest silver for you.(DL)
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty(DM)
    and will lift up your face(DN) to God.(DO)
27 You will pray to him,(DP) and he will hear you,(DQ)
    and you will fulfill your vows.(DR)
28 What you decide on will be done,(DS)
    and light(DT) will shine on your ways.(DU)
29 When people are brought low(DV) and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
    then he will save the downcast.(DW)
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent,(DX)
    who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”(DY)

Job

23 Then Job replied:

2 “Even today my complaint(DZ) is bitter;(EA)
    his hand[e] is heavy in spite of[f] my groaning.(EB)
3 If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!(EC)
4 I would state my case(ED) before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.(EE)
5 I would find out what he would answer me,(EF)
    and consider what he would say to me.
6 Would he vigorously oppose me?(EG)
    No, he would not press charges against me.(EH)
7 There the upright(EI) can establish their innocence before him,(EJ)
    and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.(EK)

8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there;
    if I go to the west, I do not find him.
9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
    when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.(EL)
10 But he knows the way that I take;(EM)
    when he has tested me,(EN) I will come forth as gold.(EO)
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;(EP)
    I have kept to his way without turning aside.(EQ)
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;(ER)
    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.(ES)

13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?(ET)
    He does whatever he pleases.(EU)
14 He carries out his decree against me,
    and many such plans he still has in store.(EV)
15 That is why I am terrified before him;(EW)
    when I think of all this, I fear him.(EX)
16 God has made my heart faint;(EY)
    the Almighty(EZ) has terrified me.(FA)
17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,(FB)
    by the thick darkness that covers my face.

24 “Why does the Almighty not set times(FC) for judgment?(FD)
    Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?(FE)
2 There are those who move boundary stones;(FF)
    they pasture flocks they have stolen.(FG)
3 They drive away the orphan’s donkey
    and take the widow’s ox in pledge.(FH)
4 They thrust the needy(FI) from the path
    and force all the poor(FJ) of the land into hiding.(FK)
5 Like wild donkeys(FL) in the desert,
    the poor go about their labor(FM) of foraging food;
    the wasteland(FN) provides food for their children.
6 They gather fodder(FO) in the fields
    and glean in the vineyards(FP) of the wicked.(FQ)
7 Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked;
    they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold.(FR)
8 They are drenched(FS) by mountain rains
    and hug(FT) the rocks for lack of shelter.(FU)
9 The fatherless(FV) child is snatched(FW) from the breast;
    the infant of the poor is seized(FX) for a debt.(FY)
10 Lacking clothes, they go about naked;(FZ)
    they carry the sheaves,(GA) but still go hungry.
11 They crush olives among the terraces[g];
    they tread the winepresses,(GB) yet suffer thirst.(GC)
12 The groans of the dying rise from the city,
    and the souls of the wounded cry out for help.(GD)
    But God charges no one with wrongdoing.(GE)

13 “There are those who rebel against the light,(GF)
    who do not know its ways
    or stay in its paths.(GG)
14 When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up,
    kills(GH) the poor and needy,(GI)
    and in the night steals forth like a thief.(GJ)
15 The eye of the adulterer(GK) watches for dusk;(GL)
    he thinks, ‘No eye will see me,’(GM)
    and he keeps his face concealed.
16 In the dark, thieves break into houses,(GN)
    but by day they shut themselves in;
    they want nothing to do with the light.(GO)
17 For all of them, midnight is their morning;
    they make friends with the terrors(GP) of darkness.(GQ)

18 “Yet they are foam(GR) on the surface of the water;(GS)
    their portion of the land is cursed,(GT)
    so that no one goes to the vineyards.(GU)
19 As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow,(GV)
    so the grave(GW) snatches away those who have sinned.
20 The womb forgets them,
    the worm(GX) feasts on them;(GY)
the wicked are no longer remembered(GZ)
    but are broken like a tree.(HA)
21 They prey on the barren and childless woman,
    and to the widow they show no kindness.(HB)
22 But God drags away the mighty by his power;(HC)
    though they become established,(HD) they have no assurance of life.(HE)
23 He may let them rest in a feeling of security,(HF)
    but his eyes(HG) are on their ways.(HH)
24 For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone;(HI)
    they are brought low and gathered up like all others;(HJ)
    they are cut off like heads of grain.(HK)

25 “If this is not so, who can prove me false
    and reduce my words to nothing?”(HL)

Footnotes

  1. Job 21:13 Or in an instant
  2. Job 21:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  3. Job 21:30 Or wicked are reserved for the day of calamity, / that they are brought forth to
  4. Job 21:33 Or them, / as a countless throng went
  5. Job 23:2 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew / the hand on me
  6. Job 23:2 Or heavy on me in
  7. Job 24:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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Job 20
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