Then Iyyov answered and said,

Then Iyyov raised his voice and said:

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

Hear, now, my words, and let this [(your listening)] be your consolation [to me].

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

Bear with me, and I will speak; and after I speak, you may mock.

As for me, is my complaint to man? why should I not be impatient?

Is it to a man [like myself] that I am speaking [(that he should hear my plaint)]? Why, then, should my spirit not be short [(from crying out in my affliction)]?

Turn to me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

Turn to me [to hear] and be amazed, and put your hand upon your mouth [(for you will not be able to answer)].

Even when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling takes holds of my flesh.

Now that I remember [what] I wish to ask viz. verse 7)], I am confounded, and my flesh is seized with trembling.

Why do the wicked live, become old, yea, grow mighty in power?

Why should the wicked live, grow old, and increase their wealth?

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

Their children are well established before them, together with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

Their houses are safe without fear, nor is the rod of God upon them.

Their houses are at peace from fear and the rod of the L rd has not come against them.

Their bull genders, and does not fail; their cow calves, and does not cast her calf.

His bull inseminates [the cow] and there is no rejection [(of the sperm without conception)]; his cow emits [the fetus] and does not miscarry.

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

They send their young ones forth like sheep, and their children dance about.

They take the timbrel and lyre, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.

They sound the timbrel and the lyre and they rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to She᾽ol.

They spend their days in good, and [(when their day of death arrives)], in a moment they descend to the pit [(without afflictions)].

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

And they say to G d: "Get away from us; we do not want to know Your ways."

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

"What is the Almighty that we should serve Him, and what will it avail us if we pray to Him?" [i.e., we have no need of Him]

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

Is their good not in their hands? — But the counsel of the wicked is far from me [(and I will not emulate their ways!)]

How often is the candle of the wicked put out? and when does their calamity come upon them? does he distribute sorrows to them in his anger?

[(reversion to verse 7)] How long [will this persist]? Let the lamp of the wicked be quenched and their doom come down upon them! Let Him give them [their] lot in His wrath!

are they as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carries away?

Let them be as stubble in the wind and as chaff stolen by the tempest.

God lays up his iniquity for the children: let him rather reward him, that he may know it!

Should G d lay away [punishment for] his wickedness with his sons [(and he die in peace?)] Let it [(his punishment)] be paid to him [directly], and let [the world] know [that G d judges men].

Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty!

Let his eyes see his [own] destruction, and let him [(himself)] drink of the fury of the Almighty!

For what pleasure has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is already complete?

For what care should he take of his household after him, seeing that the allotment of his months has been realized [i.e., seeing that he has lived his full life span]?

Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judges those who are high.

Should one [(i.e., should I)] teach G d knowledge [(to judge truly)]? — But He judges [in His] exaltedness [(and pays no heed to "mundane" considerations)].

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

This [wicked one] dies at the height of fulfillment, all calm and peaceful.

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

His receptacles are full of milk and the marrow of his bones [is fully] irrigated.

And another dies in the bitterness of his soul, and has never eaten of good things.

And this [righteous] one dies with a bitter spirit, never having tasted good.

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

They lie together in the ground, and the worm covers them up [(and none can tell the difference between them)].

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

Now I know your thoughts and your evil devisings against me.

For you say, Where is the house of the prince? and where is the tent in which the wicked dwelt?

For you would say: "Where is the house of the [(formerly)] lordly one, [i.e., Iyyov], and where is the tent-dwelling of the wicked?"

Have you not asked those who go by the way? and do not falsify their tokens;

Have you not inquired of the passers-by, whose signs you do not deny?

that the wicked man is reserved for the day of destruction; that they shall be led forth to the day of wrath.

[And have you not been told] that for the day of [his] destruction evil is withheld from the wicked one, for the day when wrath will be brought [down upon him]?

But who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him for what he has done?

Who will [dare] tell [i.e., dispute] His way to His face? Once He has done, who shall requite Him,

For he is brought to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.

when he [(the one who would do so)] will be brought to the grave and will be hastened to the mound?

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

The river clods will be sweet to him, and all men will trail after him [to death] as [all men] before Him, without number.

Why then do you comfort me in vain, seeing in your answers there remains falsehood?

And why would you console me with vanity? And your answers remain deceit!