Job Asserts the Prosperity of the Wicked

211 And Job answereth and saith:— 2 Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation. 3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking—ye may deride. 4 I—to man 'is' my complaint? and if 'so', wherefore May not my temper become short? 5 Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth. 6 Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.

7 Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth. 8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes. 9 Their houses 'are' peace without fear, Nor 'is' a rod of God upon them. 10 His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry. 11 They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip, 12 They lift 'themselves' up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ. 13 They wear out in good their days, And in a moment 'to' Sheol go down. 14 And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired. 15 What 'is' the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?' 16 Lo, not in their hand 'is' their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

17 How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger. 18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away, 19 God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him—and he knoweth. 20 His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh. 21 For what 'is' his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off? 22 To God doth 'one' teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge? 23 This 'one' dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet. 24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten. 25 And this 'one' dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness. 26 Together—on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.

27 Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully. 28 For ye say, 'Where 'is' the house of the noble? And where the tent—The tabernacles of the wicked?' 29 Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know? 30 That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought. 31 Who doth declare to his face his way? And 'for' that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him? 32 And he—to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept. 33 Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering. 34 And how do ye comfort me 'with' vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?

Eliphaz Accuses Job of Great Wickedness

221 And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith:— 2 To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable? 3 Is it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways? 4 Because of thy reverence Doth He reason 'with' thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:

5 Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities. 6 For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off. 7 Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread. 8 As to the man of arm—he hath the earth, And the accepted of face—he dwelleth in it. 9 Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised. 10 Therefore round about thee 'are' snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly. 11 Or darkness—thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee. 12 Is not God high 'in' heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high. 13 And thou hast said, 'What—hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge? 14 Thick clouds 'are' a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,

15 The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden? 16 Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation. 17 Those saying to God, 'Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them? 18 And he hath filled their houses 'with' good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.) 19 See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them, 20 'Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'

21 Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase 'is' good. 22 Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy heart. 23 If thou dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents. 24 So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering. 25 And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver 'is' strength to thee. 26 For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face, 27 Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest. 28 And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone. 29 For they have made low, And thou sayest, 'Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth. 30 He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.

Job Desires to Plead His Case before God

231 And Job answereth and saith:— 2 Also—to-day 'is' my complaint bitter, My hand hath been heavy because of my sighing. 3 O that I had known—and I find Him, I come in unto His seat, 4 I arrange before Him the cause, And my mouth fill 'with' arguments. 5 I know the words He doth answer me, And understand what He saith to me. 6 In the abundance of power doth He strive with me? No! surely He putteth 'it' in me. 7 There the upright doth reason with Him, And I escape for ever from my judge.

8 Lo, forward I go—and He is not, And backward—and I perceive him not. 9 'To' the left in His working—and I see not, He is covered 'on' the right, and I behold not. 10 For He hath known the way with me, He hath tried me—as gold I go forth. 11 On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside, 12 The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.

13 And He 'is' in one 'mind', And who doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired—and He doth 'it'. 14 For He doth complete my portion, And many such things 'are' with Him. 15 Therefore, from His presence I am troubled, I consider, and am afraid of Him. 16 And God hath made my heart soft, And the Mighty hath troubled me. 17 For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.