21:1And Job answereth and saith: --

21:2Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.

21:3Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking -- ye may deride.

21:4I -- to man is my complaint? and if so, wherefore May not my temper become short?

21:5Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.

21:6Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.

21:7Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.

21:8Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.

21:9Their houses are peace without fear, Nor is a rod of God upon them.

21:10His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.

21:11They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,

21:12They lift themselves up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.

21:13They wear out in good their days, And in a moment to Sheol go down.

21:14And they say to God, `Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.

21:15What is the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'

21:16Lo, not in their hand is their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

21:17How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.

21:18They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,

21:19God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him -- and he knoweth.

21:20His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.

21:21For what is his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?

21:22To God doth one teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?

21:23This one dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.

21:24His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.

21:25And this one dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.

21:26Together -- on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.

21:27Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.

21:28For ye say, `Where is the house of the noble? And where the tent -- The tabernacles of the wicked?'

21:29Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?

21:30That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.

21:31Who doth declare to his face his way? And for that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?

21:32And he -- to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.

21:33Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.

21:34And how do ye comfort me with vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?

22:1And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --

22:2To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?

22:3Is it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?

22:4Because of thy reverence Doth He reason with thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:

22:5Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.

22:6For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.

22:7Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.

22:8As to the man of arm -- he hath the earth, And the accepted of face -- he dwelleth in it.

22:9Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.

22:10Therefore round about thee are snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.

22:11Or darkness -- thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.

22:12Is not God high in heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.

22:13And thou hast said, `What -- hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?

22:14Thick clouds are a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,

22:15The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?

22:16Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.

22:17Those saying to God, `Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?

22:18And he hath filled their houses with good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

22:19See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,

22:20`Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'

22:21Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase is good.

22:22Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy heart.

22:23If thou dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.

22:24So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.

22:25And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver is strength to thee.

22:26For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,

22:27Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.

22:28And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.

22:29For they have made low, And thou sayest, `Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.

22:30He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.

23:1And Job answereth and saith: --

23:2Also -- to-day is my complaint bitter, My hand hath been heavy because of my sighing.

23:3O that I had known -- and I find Him, I come in unto His seat,

23:4I arrange before Him the cause, And my mouth fill with arguments.

23:5I know the words He doth answer me, And understand what He saith to me.

23:6In the abundance of power doth He strive with me? No! surely He putteth it in me.

23:7There the upright doth reason with Him, And I escape for ever from my judge.

23:8Lo, forward I go -- and He is not, And backward -- and I perceive him not.

23:9To the left in His working -- and I see not, He is covered on the right, and I behold not.

23:10For He hath known the way with me, He hath tried me -- as gold I go forth.

23:11On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside,

23:12The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.

23:13And He is in one mind, And who doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired -- and He doth it.

23:14For He doth complete my portion, And many such things are with Him.

23:15Therefore, from His presence I am troubled, I consider, and am afraid of Him.

23:16And God hath made my heart soft, And the Mighty hath troubled me.

23:17For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.

24:1Wherefore from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.

24:2The borders they reach, A drove they have taken violently away, Yea, they do evil.

24:3The ass of the fatherless they lead away, They take in pledge the ox of the widow,

24:4They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth.

24:5Lo, wild asses in a wilderness, They have gone out about their work, Seeking early for prey, A mixture for himself -- food for young ones.

24:6In a field his provender they reap, And the vineyard of the wicked they glean.

24:7The naked they cause to lodge Without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.

24:8From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge -- have embraced a rock.

24:9They take violently away From the breast the orphan, And on the poor they lay a pledge.

24:10Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry -- have taken away a sheaf.

24:11Between their walls they make oil, Wine-presses they have trodden, and thirst.

24:12Because of enmity men do groan, And the soul of pierced ones doth cry, And God doth not give praise.

24:13They have been among rebellious ones of light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abode in His paths.

24:14At the light doth the murderer rise, He doth slay the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief.

24:15And the eye of an adulterer Hath observed the twilight, Saying, `No eye doth behold me.' And he putteth the face in secret.

24:16He hath dug in the darkness -- houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.

24:17When together, morning is to them death shade, When he discerneth the terrors of death shade.

24:18Light he is on the face of the waters, Vilified is their portion in the earth, He turneth not the way of vineyards.

24:19Drought -- also heat -- consume snow-waters, Sheol those who have sinned.

24:20Forget him doth the womb, Sweeten on him doth the worm, No more is he remembered, And broken as a tree is wickedness.

24:21Treating evil the barren who beareth not, And to the widow he doth no good,

24:22And hath drawn the mighty by his power, He riseth, and none believeth in life.

24:23He giveth to him confidence, and he is supported, And his eyes are on their ways.

24:24High they were for a little, and they are not, And they have been brought low. As all others they are shut up, And as the head of an ear of corn cut off.

24:25And if not now, who doth prove me a liar, And doth make of nothing my word?