King James Version KJV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 But Job answered and said,
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Then Iyov responded:
2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
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"Listen carefully to my words; let this be the comfort you give me.
3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
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Bear with me as I speak; then, after I have spoken, you can go on mocking.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
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"As for me, is my complaint merely to other people? Don't I have grounds for being short-tempered?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
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Look at me, and be appalled; cover your mouth with your hand!
6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
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Whenever I recall it, I am in shock; my whole body shudders.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
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"Why do the wicked go on living, grow old and keep increasing their power?
8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
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They see their children settled with them, their posterity assured.
9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
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Their houses are safe, with nothing to fear; God's rod is not on them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
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Their bulls are fertile without fail, their cows get pregnant and don't miscarry.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
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They produce flocks of babies, and their children dance around.
12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
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They sing with tambourines and lyres and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
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They spend their days in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.
14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
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"Yet to God they said, 'Leave us alone! We don't want to know about your ways.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
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What is Shaddai, that we should serve him? What do we gain if we pray to him?'
16 Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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Isn't their prosperity already theirs? The plans of the wicked are far from me.
17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
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"How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their calamity come upon them? How often does [God] deal out pain in his anger,
18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
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to make them like straw in the wind, like chaff carried off by a storm?
19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
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God lays up for their children [the punishment for their] iniquity. He should lay it on [the wicked] themselves, so that they can feel it!
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
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Let their own eyes see their own destruction and themselves drink the wrath of Shaddai.
21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
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What joy can they have in their family after them, given that their months are numbered?
22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
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"Can anyone teach God knowledge? After all, he judges those who are on high.
23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
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One person dies in his full strength, completely at ease and content;
24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
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his pails are full of milk, and the marrow in his bones is moist.
25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
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Another dies with embittered heart, never having tasted happiness.
26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
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They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm covers them both.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
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"Look, I know what you are thinking and your plans to do me wrong.
28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
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You ask, 'Where is the great man's house? Where is the tent where the wicked once lived?'
29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
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Haven't you ever questioned travelers? Don't you accept their testimony
30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
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that the evil man is saved on the day of disaster, rescued on the day of wrath?
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
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So who will confront him with his ways? Who will repay him for what he has done?
32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
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For he is carried off to the grave, people keep watch over his tomb,
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
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the clods of the valley are sweet to him; so everyone follows his example, just as before him were countless others.
34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
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"Why offer me such meaningless comfort? Of your answers, only the perfidy remains."