Job 21

1 Then Job [a patriarch famous for his patience] answered [replied, made a response, to dwell, to give an answer]: word study 2 “Listen [hear diligently, give attention] carefully to my words [speech, utterances]; let this [what I say, my message] be your consolation [comfort, solace] to me. word study 3 Bear with me [suffer me, be patient with me] while I [the speaker, myself] speak [communicate, express my thoughts]; then, after [following, subsequent to] I have spoken [expressed myself, shared my words], you may go on [continue, resume] mocking [deriding, scoffing at me] [with scorn, in ridicule]. word study 4 Is my [personal, inward] complaint [outcry, lament] against a man [human, Adam]? Then why [for what reason, how] should I not [certainly not, under these circumstances] be impatient [troubled, have a short spirit]? word study 5 Look [gaze, turn towards me] at me and be appalled [desolate, devastated]; put [set, place] your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] over [upon, on] your mouth [lip, edge of something] [in shock, to be silent]. word study 6 When I remember [think about, recall to mind], terror [fear, horror] takes hold [grasps, seizes], and my body [flesh, entire being] trembles [shakes, quakes] in horror [shuddering, dread, a strong emotional response]. word study 7 Why [for what reason, on what basis] do the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] live on [continue to exist, survive], growing old [becoming advanced in years, aging] and increasing [waxing, becoming stronger] in power [strength, might, Helech]? word study 8 Their descendants [seed, offspring, children] are established [set up, appointed, settled] around them, and their offspring [children, generation, produce] before [in the presence of, in front of] their eyes [sight, vision, perception]. word study 9 Their homes [dwelling places, houses] are safe [peaceful, secure] from fear [dread, terror]; no rod [staff] of punishment from God [Eloah, the one true God] is upon [on, above] them. word study 10 Their bulls [oxen, cattle] breed without fail [always successfully, and do not loath]; their cows [heifers, female cattle] bear calves [young ones, offspring] and do not miscarry [are not bereaved, do not cast their young]. word study 11 They send forth [dispatch, let go] their little ones [young children, offspring] like a flock [sheep, a group of young]; their children [youth, young ones] skip about [dance, jump with joy], word study 12 singing [to the accompaniment of instruments, with music] to the tambourine [timbrel, a musical instrument] and lyre [harp] and making merry [rejoicing, being glad] at the sound [voice, noise] of the flute [pipe, organ]. word study 13 They spend their days [in wealth, with prosperity] in prosperity [pleasant, with good things] and go down [descend, to the underworld] to Sheol [the grave, hell] in peace [quietly, without trouble]. word study 14 Yet they say to God [the supreme Being, Elohim]: ‘Leave us alone [depart from us, go away]! For we have no desire [do not delight in, are not pleased with] to know Your ways [path, manner of life]. word study 15 Who is the Almighty [Shadday, the all-powerful One], that we should serve [as slaves, worship] Him, and what [profit, benefit] would we gain [acquire, obtain] if we pray [meet with, encounter] to Him [in reverence, with devotion]?’ word study 16 Still, their prosperity [well-being, good fortune] is not [does not exist] in their own [power, control] hands [strength, direction], so I stay [remain, keep myself] far [at a distance, removed] from the counsel [advice, plan] of the wicked [morally wrong, sinful ones]. word study 17 How often [frequently, repeatedly] is the lamp [a candle, a light] of the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] put out [extinguished, snuffed out]? Does disaster [calamity, oppression] come upon [fall on, overtake] them? Does God [in His righteous anger, with wrath], in His anger, apportion [divide, distribute] destruction [sorrows, punishment]? word study 18 Are they like [dry, withered] straw [stubble, chaff] before the [gentle, strong] wind [a blast of air], like [loose, outer covering of grain] chaff [stubble, ashes] swept away [carried, stolen] by a [violent, whirlwind] storm [hurricane, tempest]? word study 19 It is said that God [Eloah, the one true deity] lays up one’s punishment [iniquity, evil, or wickedness] for his children [sons or descendants]. Let God repay the man himself [to him personally], so he will know [perceive, learn, or understand] it. word study 20 Let his eyes [the windows of his soul] see his own [personal, self-inflicted] destruction [ruin, calamity]; let him drink [fully experience, be saturated with] for himself the wrath [intense anger, rage] of the Almighty [Shadday, the all-powerful God]. word study 21 For [since, because] what [pleasure, delight] does he care [have concern, interest] about his household [family, house] after [following, behind] him, when [at the time that] the number [quantity, count] of his months [lunar cycles, periods of time] has run out [been cut off, ended]? word study 22 Can anyone [who is able, has the capacity] teach [instruct, guide] knowledge [understanding, wisdom] to God [the Almighty, Creator], since He [who judges righteously] judges [vindicates, governs] those [beings, angels] on high [in heavenly places, exalted ones]? word study 23 One man dies [in his full strength, being wholly at ease] full of [physical and spiritual] vigor, completely [at peace, tranquil] secure [in his prosperity, well-being] and at ease [quiet, without troubles]. word study 24 His body [breasts, belly area] is well nourished [full of milk, fat from eating well], and his bones [the substance or essence of his being] are rich [moistened, full] with marrow [the fatty tissue inside, providing nutrients and energy]. word study 25 Yet another man dies [in a miserable life, after a bitter existence] in the bitterness [emotional pain, discontent] of his soul [the essence of a person, living being], having never tasted [experienced, eaten with pleasure] prosperity [good, welfare, a beneficial state]. word study 26 But together [unitedly, in the same manner] they lie down [to rest, to sleep] in the dust [dry earth, clay], and worms [maggots, a sign of decay] cover [to hide, to conceal] them both [alike, without distinction]. word study 27 Behold [look, see], I know [am aware of, perceive] your thoughts [plans, intentions] full well, the schemes [plots, devices] by which [in order to, so that] you would wrong [injure, harm] me [do me wrong, act unjustly against me]. word study 28 For you say, ‘Where now [at this moment, in this situation] is the nobleman’s [prince, generous, or willing] house [dwelling place, family home], and where are the tents [tabernacles, places of dwelling] in which the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] dwell [reside, live]?’ word study 29 Have you never [not at all, ever] asked [inquired of, sought information from] those who travel [wayfaring men, people on a journey] the roads [paths, highways]? Do you not [refuse to, fail to] accept [recognize, acknowledge] their reports [testimonies, accounts, signs]? word study 30 Indeed, the evil [wicked, morally bad] man is spared [reserved, kept safe] from the day [time, period] of calamity [disaster, oppression], delivered [brought forth, led out] from the day [time, period] of wrath [fury, anger, divine judgment]. word study 31 Who [which person, anyone] denounces [tells, declares openly] his behavior [way of life, actions] to his face [in his presence, directly]? Who [what person, anyone] repays [rewards, gives back] him for what [all that, everything] he has done [accomplished, made]? word study 32 He [the wicked one] is carried [brought, conducted with honor] to the grave [sepulchre, tomb, place of burial], and watch [vigilant attention, careful observation] is kept [men shall keep, people are put to guard] over his tomb [heap of the dead, burial site, stack of memorial]. word study 33 The clods [lumps of dirt, earth] of the valley [brook, small river] are sweet [pleasing, enjoyable] to him; everyone [all men, the man] follows [draw after, come behind] behind him, and those [a huge number, innumerable] before him are without [have no, lack] number [count, quantity]. word study 34 So how [in what way] can you comfort [show pity or sympathy] me with empty [vain, transitory] words [speech, conversation]? For your answers [responses] remain [are left] full of [nothing but] falsehood [deceit, lies].” word study