Job 21

1Then Job answered,

2“Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.Cross-references: Judg 9:7 · Job 13:3 · Job 15:11 · Job 16:2 · Job 18:2 · Job 33:1 · +4 more

3Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.Cross-references: Job 12:4 · Job 13:9 · Job 13:13 · Job 16:10 · Job 16:20 · Job 17:2 · +1 more

4As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?Cross-references: Ex 6:9 · 1Sam 1:16 · 2Ki 6:26 · Job 6:11 · Job 7:11 · Job 10:1 · +6 more

5Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.Cross-references: Judg 18:19 · Job 2:12 · Job 17:8 · Job 19:20 · Job 29:9 · Job 40:4 · +5 more

6When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.Cross-references: Ps 77:3 · Ps 88:15 · Ps 119:120 · Lam 3:19 · Hab 3:16

7“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?Cross-references: Job 12:6 · Ps 17:10 · Ps 37:35 · Ps 73:3 · Jer 12:1 · Dan 4:17 · +4 more

8Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.Cross-references: Job 5:3 · Job 18:19 · Job 20:10 · Job 20:28 · Ps 17:14 · Prov 17:6

9Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.Cross-references: Job 9:34 · Job 15:21 · Job 18:11 · Ps 73:5 · Ps 73:19 · Isa 57:19

10Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.Cross-references: Ex 23:26 · Deut 7:13 · Deut 28:11 · Ps 144:13 · Eccl 9:1 · Luke 12:16 · +1 more

11They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.Cross-references: Ps 107:41 · Ps 127:3

12They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.Cross-references: Gen 4:21 · Gen 31:27 · Isa 5:12 · Isa 22:13 · Amos 6:4

13They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol.Cross-references: Job 36:11 · Ps 73:4 · Matt 24:38 · Luke 12:19 · Luke 17:28

14They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.Cross-references: Job 22:17 · Ps 10:4 · Ps 10:11 · Prov 1:7 · Prov 1:22 · Prov 1:29 · +10 more

15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’Cross-references: Ex 5:2 · Job 34:9 · Job 35:3 · Ps 12:4 · Prov 30:9 · Isa 30:11 · +5 more

16Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.Cross-references: Gen 49:6 · Job 1:21 · Job 12:9 · Job 22:18 · Ps 1:1 · Ps 49:6 · +6 more

17“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?Cross-references: Job 18:5 · Job 18:18 · Ps 32:10 · Ps 90:7 · Prov 13:9 · Prov 20:20 · +4 more

18How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?Cross-references: Ex 15:7 · Job 13:25 · Ps 1:4 · Ps 35:5 · Ps 83:13 · Isa 5:24 · +8 more

19You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.Cross-references: Gen 4:7 · Ex 20:5 · Deut 32:34 · Deut 32:41 · 2Sam 3:39 · Job 22:24 · +16 more

20Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.Cross-references: Job 27:19 · Ps 60:3 · Ps 75:8 · Isa 51:17 · Jer 25:15 · Jer 51:7 · +3 more

21For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?Cross-references: Job 14:5 · Job 14:21 · Ps 55:23 · Ps 102:24 · Eccl 2:18 · Luke 16:27

22“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?Cross-references: Job 4:18 · Job 15:15 · Job 34:17 · Job 35:11 · Job 36:22 · Job 40:2 · +13 more

23One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.Cross-references: Job 20:22 · Ps 49:17 · Ps 73:4 · Luke 12:19

24His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.Cross-references: Job 15:27 · Ps 17:10 · Prov 3:8

25Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.Cross-references: 2Sam 17:8 · 1Ki 17:12 · Job 3:20 · Job 7:11 · Job 9:18 · Job 10:1 · +6 more

26They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.Cross-references: Job 3:18 · Job 17:14 · Job 19:26 · Job 20:11 · Job 24:20 · Ps 49:14 · +2 more

27“Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.Cross-references: Job 4:8 · Job 5:3 · Job 8:3 · Job 15:20 · Job 20:5 · Job 20:29 · +6 more

28For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’Cross-references: Num 16:26 · Job 1:3 · Job 8:22 · Job 20:7 · Job 31:37 · Ps 37:36 · +3 more

29Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,Cross-references: Ps 129:8

30that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?Cross-references: Job 20:28 · Ps 110:5 · Prov 11:4 · Prov 16:4 · Nah 1:2 · Zeph 1:15 · +5 more

31Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?Cross-references: Deut 7:10 · 2Sam 12:7 · 1Ki 21:19 · Job 21:19 · Job 41:11 · Ps 50:21 · +7 more

32Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.Cross-references: Ps 49:14 · Ezek 32:21 · Luke 16:22

33The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.Cross-references: Gen 3:19 · Job 3:17 · Job 3:22 · Job 17:16 · Job 24:24 · Job 30:23 · +4 more

34So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”Cross-references: Job 13:4 · Job 16:2 · Job 32:3 · Job 42:7