Job 21 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

God Does Not Punish the Wicked

1 Then Job ^H347 answered ^H6030 and said ^H559,

2 “Listen ^H8085 carefully ^H8085 to my speech ^H4405,

And let this ^H2088 be your way of consolation ^H8575.

3 “Bear ^H5375 with me that I may speak ^H1696;

Then after ^H310 I have spoken ^H1696, you may mock ^H3932.

4 “As for me, is my musing ^H7879 [fn]to man ^H120?

And why ^H4069 should [fn]I not be impatient ^H7114?

5 “Look ^H6437 at me, and be ^H8074 appalled ^H8074,

And put ^H7760 your hand ^H3027 over ^H5921 your mouth ^H6310.

6 “Even when ^H518 I remember ^H2142, I am ^H926 dismayed ^H926,

And horror ^H6427 seizes ^H270 my flesh ^H1320.

7 “Why ^H4069 do the wicked ^H7563 still live ^H2421,

Continue ^H6275 on, also ^H1571 become ^H1396 very ^H2428 powerful ^H2428?

8 “Their seed ^H2233 is established ^H3559 with them in their presence ^H6440,

And their offspring ^H6631 before their eyes ^H5869,

9 Their houses ^H1004 are safe ^H7965 from dread ^H6343,

And the rod ^H7626 of God ^H433 is not on them.

10 “His ox ^H7794 mates ^H5674 and does not fail ^H1602;

His cow ^H6510 calves ^H6403 and does not miscarry ^H7921.

11 “They send ^H7971 forth their little ^H5759 ones ^H5759 like the flock ^H6629,

And their children ^H3206 skip ^H7540 about ^H7540.

12 “They lift ^H5375 up ^H5375 the tambourine ^H8596 and harp ^H3658

And are glad ^H8055 at the sound ^H6963 of the pipe ^H5748.

13 “They spend ^H1086 their days ^H3117 in prosperity ^H2896,

And [fn]suddenly ^H7281 they go ^H5181 down ^H5181 to Sheol ^H7585.

14 “They say ^H559 to God ^H410, ‘Depart ^H5493 from us!

We do not even desire ^H2654 the knowledge ^H1847 of Your ways ^H1870.

15 ‘[fn]Who ^H4100 is [fn]the Almighty ^H7706, that we should serve ^H5647 Him,

And what ^H4100 would we profit ^H3276 if ^H3588 we entreat ^H6293 Him?’

16 “Behold ^H2005, their prosperity ^H2898 is not in their hand ^H3027;

The counsel ^H6098 of the wicked ^H7563 is ^H7368 far ^H7368 from me.

17 “How ^H4100 often ^H4100 is the lamp ^H5216 of the wicked ^H7563 put ^H1846 out ^H1846,

Or does their disaster ^H343 fall ^H935 on them?

Does [fn]God apportion ^H2505 destruction ^H2256 in His anger ^H639?

18 “Are they as straw ^H8401 before ^H6440 the wind ^H7307,

And like chaff ^H4671 which the storm ^H5492 steals ^H1589 away ^H1589?

19 “You say, ‘God ^H433 stores ^H6845 away ^H6845 [fn]a man’s wickedness ^H205 for his sons ^H1121.’

Let [fn]God repay ^H7999 him so that he may know ^H3045 it.

20 “Let his own eyes ^H5869 see ^H7200 his decay ^H3589,

And let him drink ^H8354 of the wrath ^H2534 of [fn]the Almighty ^H7706.

21 “For what ^H4100 desire ^H2656 does he have ^H2656 for his household ^H1004 [fn]after ^H310 him,

When the number ^H4557 of his months ^H2320 is ^H2686 cut ^H2686 off ^H2686?

22 “Can anyone teach ^H3925 God ^H410 knowledge ^H1847,

In that He judges ^H8199 those on high ^H7311?

23 “One ^H2088 dies ^H4191 in his full ^H8537 strength ^H6106,

Being wholly ^H3605 carefree ^H7600 and at ease ^H7961;

24 His [fn]sides ^H5845 are filled ^H4390 out ^H4390 with fat ^H2459,

And the marrow ^H4221 of his bones ^H6106 is ^H8248 moist ^H8248,

25 But another ^H2088 dies ^H4191 with a bitter ^H4751 soul ^H5315,

Never ^H3808 even eats ^H398 anything good ^H2896.

26 “Together ^H3162 they lie ^H7901 down ^H7901 in the dust ^H6083,

And worms ^H7415 cover ^H3680 them.

27 “Behold ^H2005, I know ^H3045 your thoughts ^H4284,

And the plans ^H4209 by which you do violence ^H2554 against me.

28 “For you say ^H559, ‘Where ^H346 is the house ^H1004 of the nobleman ^H5081,

And where ^H346 is the tent ^H168, the dwelling ^H4908 places ^H4908 of the wicked ^H7563?’

29 “Have you not asked ^H7592 those who pass ^H5674 by ^H5674 along the way ^H1870,

And do you not recognize ^H5234 their [fn]witness ^H226?

30 “That the wicked ^H7451 is reserved ^H2820 for the day ^H3117 of disaster ^H343;

They will be led ^H2986 forth ^H2986 at the day ^H3117 of fury ^H5678.

31 “Who ^H4310 will declare ^H5046 to his ^H1931 face ^H6440 about his actions ^H1870,

And who ^H4310 will repay ^H7999 him for what he has done ^H6213?

32 “While he is led ^H2986 forth ^H2986 to the grave ^H6913,

Men will keep ^H8245 watch ^H8245 over ^H5921 his tomb ^H1430.

33 “The clods ^H7263 of the valley ^H5158 will [fn]gently ^H4985 cover ^H4985 him;

Moreover, all ^H3605 men ^H120 will draw ^H4900 up ^H4900 after ^H310 him,

While countless ^H369 H4557 ones go before ^H6440 him.

34 “How ^H349 then will you vainly ^H1892 comfort ^H5162 me,

Indeed when your answers ^H8666 remain ^H7604 full of [fn]falsehood ^H4604?”