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The Book of Job

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 21 -

Job's speech about the wicked

1
Then Job answered, and said:
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Hear, I beseech you, my words, and do penance.
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Suffer me, and I will speak, and after, if you please, laugh at my words.
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Is my debate against man, that I should not have just reason to be troubled?
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Hearken to me and be astonished, and lay your finger on your mouth.
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As for me, when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
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Why then do the wicked live, are they advanced, and strengthened with riches?
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Their seed continueth before them, a multitude of kinsmen, and of children’s children in their sight.
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Their houses are secure and peaceable, and the rod of God is not upon them.
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Their cattle have conceived, and failed not: their cow has calved, and is not deprived of her fruit.
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Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children dance and play.
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They take the timbrel, and the harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
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They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell.
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Who have said to God: Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
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Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what doth it profit us if we pray to him?
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Yet because their good things are not in their hand, may the counsel of the wicked be far from me.
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How often shall the lamp of the wicked be put out, and a deluge come upon them, and he shall distribute the sorrows of his wrath?
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They shall be as chaff before the face of the wind, and as ashes which the whirlwind scattereth.
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God shall lay up the sorrow of the father for his children: and when he shall repay, then shall he know.
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His eyes shall see his own destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
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For what is it to him what befalleth his house after him: and if the number of his months be diminished by one half?
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Shall any one teach God knowledge, who judgeth those that are high?
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One man dieth strong, and hale, rich and happy.
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His bowels are full of fat, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
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But another dieth in bitterness of soul without any riches:
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And yet they shall sleep together in the dust, and worms shall cover them.
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Surely I know your thoughts, and your unjust judgments against me.
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For you say: Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
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Ask any one of them that go by the way, and you shall perceive that he knoweth these same things.
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Because the wicked man is reserved to the day of destruction, and he shall be brought to the day of wrath.
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Who shall reprove his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
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He shall be brought to the graves, and shall watch in the heap of the dead.
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He hath been acceptable to the gravel of Cocytus, and he shall draw every man after him, and there are innumerable before him.
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How then do ye comfort me in vain, whereas your answer is shewn to be repugnant to truth?

Job's speech about the wicked

1
Then Job answered,
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“Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
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Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
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As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
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Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
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When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
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“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
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Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
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Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
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Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.
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They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
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They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
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They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol.(a)
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They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.
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What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
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Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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“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?
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How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
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You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
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Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
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For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
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“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
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One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
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His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
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Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
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They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
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“Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
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For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
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Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,
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that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
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Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
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Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.
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The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
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So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”

Footnotes

(a)21:13 Sheol is the place of the dead.
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