Then Job answered and said:
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Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.
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Suffer me, that I may speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.
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As for me, is my complaint to man? Or why should I not be impatient?
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Turn unto me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.
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Even when I remember I am affrighted, And horror hath taketh hold on my flesh.
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Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
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Their seed is established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
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Their houses are safe, without fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.
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Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
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They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
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They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
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They spend their days in prosperity, And peacefully they go down to the grave.
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Yet they said unto God: ‘Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.
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What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?’—
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Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That He distributeth pains in His anger?
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That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm stealeth away?
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’God layeth up his iniquity for his children! ’— Let Him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it.
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Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
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For what pleasure hath he in his house after him? Seeing the number of his months is determined.
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Shall any teach God knowledge? Seeing it is He that judgeth those that are high.
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One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet;
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His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.
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And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And hath never tasted of good.
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They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.
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Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
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For ye say: ‘Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?’
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Have ye not asked them that go by the way; And will ye misdeem their tokens,
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That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, That they are led forth to the day of wrath?
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But who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
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For he is borne to the grave, And watch is kept over his tomb.
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The clods of the valley are sweet unto him, And all men draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.
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How then comfort ye me in vain? And as for your answers, there remaineth only faithlessness?
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