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Job’s Seventh Speech: A Response to Zophar
Then Job spoke again:
Then Job spoke again:
Job’s Discourse on the Wicked
Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said:
“Listen closely to what I am saying.
That’s one consolation you can give me.
That’s one consolation you can give me.
Bear with me, and let me speak.
After I have spoken, you may resume mocking me.
After I have spoken, you may resume mocking me.
Bear with me that I may speak,
And after I have spoken, keep mocking.
And after I have spoken, keep mocking.
“My complaint is with God, not with people.
I have good reason to be so impatient.
I have good reason to be so impatient.
“As for me, is my complaint against man?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
Look at me and be stunned.
Put your hand over your mouth in shock.
Put your hand over your mouth in shock.
Look at me and be astonished;
Put your hand over your mouth.
Put your hand over your mouth.
When I think about what I am saying, I shudder.
My body trembles.
My body trembles.
Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
“Why do the wicked prosper,
growing old and powerful?
growing old and powerful?
Why do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
Yes, become mighty in power?
They live to see their children grow up and settle down,
and they enjoy their grandchildren.
and they enjoy their grandchildren.
Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
And their offspring before their eyes.
Their homes are safe from every fear,
and God does not punish them.
and God does not punish them.
Their bulls never fail to breed.
Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.
Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.
Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves without miscarriage.
Their cow calves without miscarriage.
They let their children frisk about like lambs.
Their little ones skip and dance.
Their little ones skip and dance.
They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
And their children dance.
They sing with tambourine and harp.
They celebrate to the sound of the flute.
They celebrate to the sound of the flute.
They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
And yet they say to God, ‘Go away.
We want no part of you and your ways.
We want no part of you and your ways.
Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him?
What good will it do us to pray?’
What good will it do us to pray?’
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
(They think their prosperity is of their own doing,
but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.)
but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.)
“Yet the light of the wicked never seems to be extinguished.
Do they ever have trouble?
Does God distribute sorrows to them in anger?
Do they ever have trouble?
Does God distribute sorrows to them in anger?
“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?
How often does their destruction come upon them,
The sorrows God distributes in His anger?
Are they driven before the wind like straw?
Are they carried away by the storm like chaff?
Not at all!
Are they carried away by the storm like chaff?
Not at all!
“‘Well,’ you say, ‘at least God will punish their children!’
But I say he should punish the ones who sin,
so that they understand his judgment.
But I say he should punish the ones who sin,
so that they understand his judgment.
Let them see their destruction with their own eyes.
Let them drink deeply of the anger of the Almighty.
Let them drink deeply of the anger of the Almighty.
Let his eyes see his destruction,
And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
For they will not care what happens to their family
after they are dead.
after they are dead.
For what does he care about his household after him,
When the number of his months is cut in half?
When the number of his months is cut in half?
“But who can teach a lesson to God,
since he judges even the most powerful?
since he judges even the most powerful?
“Can anyone teach God knowledge,
Since He judges those on high?
Since He judges those on high?
One person dies in prosperity,
completely comfortable and secure,
completely comfortable and secure,
One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and secure;
Being wholly at ease and secure;
the picture of good health,
vigorous and fit.
vigorous and fit.
Another person dies in bitter poverty,
never having tasted the good life.
never having tasted the good life.
Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
Never having eaten with pleasure.
Never having eaten with pleasure.
But both are buried in the same dust,
both eaten by the same maggots.
both eaten by the same maggots.
They lie down alike in the dust,
And worms cover them.
And worms cover them.
“Look, I know what you’re thinking.
I know the schemes you plot against me.
I know the schemes you plot against me.
“Look, I know your thoughts,
And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
You will tell me of rich and wicked people
whose houses have vanished because of their sins.
whose houses have vanished because of their sins.
But ask those who have been around,
and they will tell you the truth.
and they will tell you the truth.
Have you not asked those who travel the road?
And do you not know their signs?
And do you not know their signs?
Evil people are spared in times of calamity
and are allowed to escape disaster.
and are allowed to escape disaster.
For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom;
They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
No one criticizes them openly
or pays them back for what they have done.
or pays them back for what they have done.
Who condemns his way to his face?
And who repays him for what he has done?
And who repays him for what he has done?
When they are carried to the grave,
an honor guard keeps watch at their tomb.
an honor guard keeps watch at their tomb.
Yet he shall be brought to the grave,
And a vigil kept over the tomb.
And a vigil kept over the tomb.
A great funeral procession goes to the cemetery.
Many pay their respects as the body is laid to rest,
and the earth gives sweet repose.
Many pay their respects as the body is laid to rest,
and the earth gives sweet repose.
The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him;
Everyone shall follow him,
As countless have gone before him.
Everyone shall follow him,
As countless have gone before him.