New King James Version

King James Bible

1Then Job answered and said:

1But Job answered and said,

2“Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your consolation.

2Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

3Bear with me that I may speak, And after I have spoken, keep mocking.

3Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

4“As for me, is my complaint against man? And if it were, why should I not be impatient?

4As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

5Look at me and be astonished; Put your hand over your mouth.

5Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

6Even when I remember I am terrified, And trembling takes hold of my flesh.

6Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

7Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?

7Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

8Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.

8Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

9Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.

9Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

10Their bull breeds without failure; Their cow calves without miscarriage.

10Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

11They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.

11They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

12They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice to the sound of the flute.

12They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

13They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave.

13They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

14Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

14Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’

15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

16Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

16Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them, The sorrows God distributes in His anger?

17How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

18They are like straw before the wind, And like chaff that a storm carries away.

18They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

19They say, ‘God lays up one’s iniquity for his children’; Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.

19God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.

20Let his eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

20His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21For what does he care about his household after him, When the number of his months is cut in half?

21For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?

22“Can anyone teach God knowledge, Since He judges those on high?

22Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.

23One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and secure;

23One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

24His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moist.

24His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.

25Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, Never having eaten with pleasure.

25And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.

26They lie down alike in the dust, And worms cover them.

26They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

27“Look, I know your thoughts, And the schemes with which you would wrong me.

27Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.

28For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent, The dwelling place of the wicked?’

28For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?

29Have you not asked those who travel the road? And do you not know their signs?

29Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

30For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom; They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.

30That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

31Who condemns his way to his face? And who repays him for what he has done?

31Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?

32Yet he shall be brought to the grave, And a vigil kept over the tomb.

32Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.

33The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him; Everyone shall follow him, As countless have gone before him.

33The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

34How then can you comfort me with empty words, Since falsehood remains in your answers?”

34How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.