Job 21 אִיּוֹב פרק כ״א

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Job 21 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   וַיַּעַןand he answeredאִיּוֹבJobוַיֹּאמַר׃and said

   But Job answered and said,

2. 2

   שִׁמְעוּhearשָׁמוֹעַdiligentlyמִלָּתִיmy speechוּתְהִי־זֹאתand let this beתַּנְחוּמֹתֵיכֶם׃your consolations

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

3. 3

   שָׂאוּנִיbear with meוְאָנֹכִיyet IאֲדַבֵּרI speakוְאַחַרand thenדַּבְּרִיI have spokenתַלְעִיג׃mock on

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

4. 4

   הֶאָנֹכִיas for meלְאָדָםto manשִׂיחִיmy complaintוְאִם־מַדּוּעַand if so whyלֹא־תִקְצַרshould not be troubledרוּחִי׃my spirit

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

5. 5

   פְּנוּ־אֵלַיturn to meוְהָשַׁמּוּand be astonishedוְשִׂימוּand setיָדyour handעַל־פֶּה׃upon mouth

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

6. 6

   וְאִם־זָכַרְתִּיand if I rememberedוְנִבְהָלְתִּיI am afraidוְאָחַזand he took holdבְּשָׂרִיmy fleshפַּלָּצוּת׃trembling

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

7. 7

   מַדּוּעַwhyרְשָׁעִיםwicked menיִחְיוּthey shall liveעָתְקוּbecome oldגַּם־גָּבְרוּyea are mightyחָיִל׃in power

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

8. 8

   זַרְעָםtheir seedנָכוֹןestablishedלִפְנֵיהֶםin their sightעִמָּםwith themוְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶםand their descendantsלְעֵינֵיהֶם׃before their eyes

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

9. 9

   בָּתֵּיהֶםtheir housesשָׁלוֹםare safeמִפָּחַדfrom fearוְלֹאand notשֵׁבֶטthe rod ofאֱלוֹהַּGodעֲלֵיהֶם׃upon them

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

10. 10

    שׁוֹרוֹhis oxעִבַּרgendersוְלֹאand notיַגְעִלfails notתְּפַלֵּטit calvesפָּרָתוֹhis cowוְלֹאand notתְשַׁכֵּל׃casts not her calf

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

11. 11

    יְשַׁלְּחוּthey send forthכַצֹּאןlike the flockעֲוִילֵיהֶםtheir little onesוְיַלְדֵיהֶםand their childrenיְרַקֵּדוּן׃dance

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

12. 12

    יִשְׂאוּthey takeכְּתֹףthe timbrelוְכִנּוֹרand harpוְיִשְׂמְחוּand rejoiceלְקוֹלthe voice ofעוּגָב׃the organ

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

13. 13

    (יבלו)[יְכַלּוּ]they spendבַטּוֹבin wealthיְמֵיהֶםtheir daysוּבְרֶגַעand in a momentשְׁאוֹלSheolיֵחָתּוּ׃go down

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

14. 14

    וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלָאֵלunto Godסוּרdepartמִמֶּנּוּfrom usוְדַעַתand knowledgeדְּרָכֶיךָyour waysלֹאnotחָפָצְנוּ׃we desire

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

15. 15

    מַה־שַּׁדַּיwhat is the Almightyכִּי־נַעַבְדֶנּוּthat we will serve himוּמַה־נּוֹעִילand what profit should we haveכִּיthatנִפְגַּע־בּוֹ׃if we pray unto him

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

16. 16

    הֵןbeholdלֹאnotבְיָדָםin their handטוּבָםtheir goodעֲצַתthe plan ofרְשָׁעִיםwicked menרָחֲקָהit is farמֶנִּי׃from me

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

17. 17

    כַּמָּהhow oftנֵר־רְשָׁעִיםthe candle of the wickedיִדְעָךְit is extinguishedוְיָבֹאso it may comeעָלֵימוֹon themאֵידָםtheir disasterחֲבָלִיםsorrowsיְחַלֵּקGod distributesבְּאַפּוֹ׃in his anger

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

18. 18

    יִהְיוּshall beכְּתֶבֶןlike strawלִפְנֵי־רוּחַbefore the windוּכְמֹץand like chaffגְּנָבַתּוּthat carries awayסוּפָה׃a storm wind

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

19. 19

    אֱלוֹהַּGodיִצְפֹּן־לְבָנָיוlays up for his childrenאוֹנוֹhis iniquityיְשַׁלֵּםhe rewardsאֵלָיוto himוְיֵדָע׃so he may know

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

20. 20

    יִרְאוּshall seeעֵינָוhis eyesכִּידוֹhis destructionוּמֵחֲמַתand of the wrath ofשַׁדַּיAlmightyיִשְׁתֶּה׃he drinks

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

21. 21

    כִּיforמַה־חֶפְצוֹwhat pleasure has heבְּבֵיתוֹin his houseאַחֲרָיוafter himוּמִסְפַּרand the number ofחֳדָשָׁיוhis monthsחֻצָּצוּ׃is cut off in the midst

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

22. 22

    הַלְאֵלis it Godיְלַמֶּד־דָּעַתwill anyone teach knowledgeוְהוּאand heרָמִיםthose that are highיִשְׁפּוֹט׃shall he judge

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

23. 23

    זֶהthisיָמוּתhe shall dieבְּעֶצֶםin his fullתֻּמּוֹstrengthכֻּלּוֹbeing whollyשַׁלְאֲנַןat easeוְשָׁלֵיו׃and at ease

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

24. 24

    עֲטִינָיוhis breastsמָלְאוּare full ofחָלָבmilkוּמֹחַand the marrow ofעַצְמוֹתָיוhis bonesיְשֻׁקֶּה׃are moistened

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

25. 25

    וְזֶהand thisיָמוּתhe shall dieבְּנֶפֶשׁin the soulמָרָהbitterוְלֹא־אָכַלand not ateבַּטּוֹבָה׃with pleasure

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

26. 26

    יַחַדtogetherעַל־עָפָרupon the earthיִשְׁכָּבוּthey lay downוְרִמָּהand the wormsתְּכַסֶּהyou will coverעֲלֵיהֶם׃upon them

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

27. 27

    הֵןbeholdיָדַעְתִּיI knowמַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶםyour thoughtsוּמְזִמּוֹתand the devicesעָלַיupon meתַּחְמֹסוּ׃which you wrongfully imagine

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

28. 28

    כִּיforתֹאמְרוּyou sayאַיֵּהwhere isבֵית־נָדִיבthe house of the princeוְאַיֵּהand where isאֹהֶלtent ofמִשְׁכְּנוֹתthe dwelling places ofרְשָׁעִים׃wicked men

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

29. 29

    הֲלֹאis it notשְׁאֶלְתֶּםhave you askedעוֹבְרֵיthem that go byדָרֶךְa pathוְאֹתֹתָםand their signsלֹאnotתְנַכֵּרוּ׃do you not know

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

30. 30

    כִּיforלְיוֹםto dayאֵידcalamityיֵחָשֶׂךְis reservedרָעthe wickedלְיוֹםto dayעֲבָרוֹתof wrathיוּבָלוּ׃they shall be brought forth

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

31. 31

    מִי־יַגִּידwho shall declareעַל־פָּנָיוupon his faceדַּרְכּוֹhis wayוְהוּא־עָשָׂהand what he has doneמִיwhoיְשַׁלֶּם־לוֹ׃he repays him

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

32. 32

    וְהוּאand heלִקְבָרוֹתto the graveיוּבָלhe shall be broughtוְעַל־גָּדִישׁand upon the tombיִשְׁקוֹד׃shall remain

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

33. 33

    מָתְקוּ־לוֹshall be sweet unto himרִגְבֵי־נָחַלthe clods of a wadiוְאַחֲרָיוand after itכׇּל־אָדָםall manיִמְשׁוֹךְshall draw after himוּלְפָנָיוand before himאֵיןthere is noמִסְפָּר׃number

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

34. 34

    וְאֵיךְand howתְּנַחֲמוּנִיwill you comfort meהָבֶלin vainוּתְשׁוּבֹתֵיכֶםand your answersנִשְׁאַר־מָעַל׃there remains falsehood

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