Study Desk

Then Job responded,

But Job answered and said,

"Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your way of consolation.

Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

"Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may mock me.

Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

"As for me, is my complaint to a mortal? Or why should I not be impatient?

As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

"Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth.

Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

"Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And horror takes hold of my flesh.

Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

"Why do the wicked still live, Grow old, and also become very powerful?

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

"Their descendants endure with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes,

Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them.

Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

"His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not miscarry.

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

"They send out their boys like the flock, And their children dance.

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

"They sing with the tambourine and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

"They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol.

They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

"Yet they say to God, 'Go away from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

'Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we plead with Him?'

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The advice of the wicked is far from me.

Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

"How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their disaster fall on them? Does God apportion destruction in His anger?

How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

"Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away?

They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

"You say, 'God saves up a person's wrongdoing for his sons.' Let God repay him so that he may know it.

God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.

"Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

"For what does he care about his household after him, When the number of his months is at an end?

For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?

"Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high?

Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.

"One dies in his full strength, Being wholly undisturbed and at ease;

One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

His sides are filled with fat, And the marrow of his bones is wet,

His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.

While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good.

And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.

"Together they lie down in the dust, And maggots cover them.

They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

"Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plots you devise against me.

Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.

"For you say, 'Where is the house of the nobleman, And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?'

For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?

"Have you not asked travelers, And do you not examine their evidence?

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

"For the wicked person is spared a day of disaster; They are led away from a day of fury.

That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

"Who confronts him with his actions, And who repays him for what he has done?

Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?

"When he is carried to the grave, People will keep watch over his tomb.

Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.

"The clods of the valley will gently cover him; Moreover, all mankind will follow after him, While countless others go before him.

The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

"So how dare you give me empty comfort? For your answers remain nothing but falsehood!"

How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?