| Chapter 21 |
1 | Then Job answered and said,
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2 | Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.
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3 | Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.
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4 | As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?
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5 | Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.
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6 | Even when I remember I am troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh.
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7 | Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
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8 | Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.
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9 | Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.
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10 | Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
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11 | They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
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12 | They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
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13 | They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol.
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14 | And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
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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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16 | Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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17 | How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That [God] distributeth sorrows in his anger?
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18 | That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?
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19 | [Ye say], God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:
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20 | Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
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21 | For what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off?
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22 | Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high?
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23 | One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet:
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24 | His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.
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25 | And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good.
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26 | They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.
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27 | Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me.
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28 | For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?
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29 | Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences,
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30 | That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath?
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31 | Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
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32 | Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb.
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33 | The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.
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34 | How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth [only] falsehood?
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