Job

 2 “Listen, YOU men, attentively to my word,

And let this become YOUR consolation.

 3 Put up with me, and I myself shall speak;

And after my speaking you may [each] deride.+

 4 As for me, is my concern [expressed] to man?

Or why is it that my spirit does not get impatient?

 5 Turn YOUR faces to me and stare in amazement,

And put [YOUR] hand upon [YOUR] mouth.+

 6 And if I have remembered, I have also become disturbed,

And shuddering has taken hold of my flesh.

 7 Why is it that the wicked themselves keep living,+

Have grown old, also have become superior in wealth?+

 8 Their offspring are firmly established with them in their sight,

And their descendants before their eyes.

 9 Their houses are peace itself, free from dread,+

And the rod of God* is not upon them.

10 His own bull actually impregnates, and it does not waste semen;

His cow brings forth+ and suffers no abortion.

11 They keep sending out their young boys just like a flock,

And their own male children go skipping about.

12 They continue raising [their voice] with the tambourine and harp,+

And keep rejoicing at the sound of the pipe.

13 They spend their days in good times,+

And in a moment down to Sheʹol they descend.

14 And they say to the [true] God, ‘Turn away from us!+

And in the knowledge of your ways we have found no delight.+

15 What does the Almighty amount to, that we should serve him,*+

And how do we benefit ourselves in that we have come in touch with him?’+

16 Look! Their well-being is not in their own power.*+

The very counsel of wicked ones has kept far from me.+

17 How many times is the lamp of the wicked ones extinguished,+

And [how many times] does their disaster come upon them?

[How many times] in his anger does he apportion destruction?+

18 Do they become like straw before a wind,*+

And like chaff that a storm wind has stolen away?

19 God* himself will store up one’s hurtfulness for one’s own sons;+

He will reward him that he may know [it].+

20 His eyes will see his decay,

And from the rage of the Almighty he will drink.+

21 For what will his delight be in his house after him,

When the number of his months will really be cut in two?+

22 Will he teach knowledge even to God,*+

When that One himself judges high ones?+

23 This very one will die during his full self-sufficiency,+

When he is altogether carefree and at ease;

24 [When] his own thighs have become full of fat

And the very marrow of his bones is being kept moist.

25 And this other one will die with a bitter soul

When he has not eaten of good things.+

26 Together in the dust they will lie down+

And maggots themselves will form a cover over them.+

27 Look! I well know the thoughts of YOU men

And the schemes with which YOU would act violently against me.+

28 For YOU say, ‘Where is the house of the noble one,

And where is the tent, the tabernacles of wicked ones?’+

29 Have YOU not asked those traveling over the roads?

And do YOU not carefully inspect their very signs,

30 That at the day of disaster an evil one is spared,+

At the day of fury he is delivered?*

31 Who will tell him of his way to his very face?+

And for what he himself has done who will reward him?+

32 As for him, to the graveyard he will be brought,+

And over a tomb* a vigil will be kept.

33 To him the clods of earth of a torrent valley will certainly become sweet,+

And after him he will drag all mankind,*+

And those before him were without number.

34 So how vainly YOU men try to comfort me,+

And YOUR very replies do remain as unfaithfulness!”