New Revised Standard NRS
Common English Bible CEB
1 Then Job answered:
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Then Job answered:
2 "Listen carefully to my words, and let this be your consolation.
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Listen carefully to my remarks and let that comfort you.
3 Bear with me, and I will speak; then after I have spoken, mock on.
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Bear with me so I can speak, I myself; and after my reply you can mock.
4 As for me, is my complaint addressed to mortals? Why should I not be impatient?
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Are my complaints against another human; why is my patience short?
5 Look at me, and be appalled, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
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Turn to me and be appalled; lay your hand over your mouth.
6 When I think of it I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.
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If I recall it, I'm scared; shaking seizes my body.
7 Why do the wicked live on, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
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Why do the wicked live, grow old, and even become strong?
8 Their children are established in their presence, and their offspring before their eyes.
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Their children are always with them, their offspring in their sight,
9 Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.
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their houses safe from dread, God's punishing stick not upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and never miscarries.
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Their bull always breeds successfully; their cows give birth and never miscarry.
11 They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance around.
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They send forth their little ones like sheep; their infants bounce around.
12 They sing to the tambourine and the lyre, and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
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They raise drum and lyre, rejoice at the sound of a flute.
13 They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.
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They spend their days contentedly, go down to the grave peacefully.
14 They say to God, "Leave us alone! We do not desire to know your ways.
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They say to God, "Turn away from us; we take no pleasure in knowing your ways;
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?'
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who is the Almighty that we should serve him, and what can we gain if we meet him?"
16 Is not their prosperity indeed their own achievement? The plans of the wicked are repugnant to me.
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Look, isn't their well-being the work of their own hands? A sinner's logic is beyond me.
17 "How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does calamity come upon them? How often does God distribute pains in his anger?
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How often does the lamp of the wicked flicker or disaster come upon them, with its fury inflicting pain on them?
18 How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?
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Let them be like straw in the wind, like dry grass stolen by a storm.
19 You say, "God stores up their iniquity for their children.' Let it be paid back to them, so that they may know it.
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God stores up his punishment for his children. Let him destroy them so they know.
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
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Let their own eyes witness their doom. Let them drink from the Almighty's wrath.
21 For what do they care for their household after them, when the number of their months is cut off?
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What do they care about their household after they die, when their numbered days are cut off?
22 Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those that are on high?
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Will they instruct God— he who judges the most powerful?
23 One dies in full prosperity, being wholly at ease and secure,
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Someone dies in wonderful health, completely comfortable and well,
24 his loins full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.
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their buckets full of milk, their bones marrow-filled and sound.
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of good.
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Another dies in bitter spirit, never having tasted the good things.
26 They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.
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They lie together in the dust and worms cover them.
27 "Oh, I know your thoughts, and your schemes to wrong me.
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Look, I know your thoughts; your plans harm me.
28 For you say, "Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?'
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You say, "Where is the official's house? Where is the tent, the dwelling of the wicked?"
29 Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony,
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Haven't you asked travelers or paid attention to their reports?
30 that the wicked are spared in the day of calamity, and are rescued in the day of wrath?
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On the day of disaster the wicked are spared; on the day of fury they are rescued.
31 Who declares their way to their face, and who repays them for what they have done?
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Who can criticize their behavior to their faces; they act, and who can avenge them?
32 When they are carried to the grave, a watch is kept over their tomb.
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They are carried to their graves; someone keeps guard over their tombs.
33 The clods of the valley are sweet to them; everyone will follow after, and those who went before are innumerable.
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The soil near the desert streambed is sweet to them; everyone marches after them— those before them, beyond counting.
34 How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood."
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How empty is your comfort to me; only deceit remains in your responses.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible