Job 21

How obvious it is when we return to poetry. Just look at the short sharp lines. There is nothing simlpe about the speeches. Verse 5 gets it: Face me and be desolate, and set hand over mouth.

Job is God's quarry. Paying no attention seems desirable. The use of double quotes here is to distinguish what may be Job quoting one of the other speakers. "Rich heap" refers back to the same rare word used by Eliphaz in chapter 5. There is a continuing harvest metaphor here, for the heap refers to standing corn, Judges 15:5, Exodus 22:5, the only other two uses of this root.

Verse 27 is the trap of the religious. With all their best intentions, there are machinations and schemes of violence implicit. The Bible is not a religious book. It is an affront to all use and abuse of power. Religion is just another power. But we still have to deal with the prophets who are not complacent when it come to the power of the irreligious.

Job 21		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר	1		And Job answered and said,	3e	3f	8
שִׁמְע֣וּ שָׁ֭מוֹעַ מִלָּתִ֑י וּתְהִי־זֹ֝֗את תַּנְח֥וּמֹֽתֵיכֶֽם	2		Hear, to hear my speech, and this will be your comfort.	3e	4B	8 8
שָׂ֭אוּנִי וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְאַחַ֖ר דַּבְּרִ֣י תַלְעִֽיג	3	g	Lift me up and I myself will speak, and after I speak, you may deride.	3e	4B	10 7
הֶ֭אָנֹכִי לְאָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְאִם־מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ לֹא־תִקְצַ֥ר רוּחִֽי	4	g	As for me, is it to a human, my blathering? And if so, why should my spirit not be reaping?	3e	4B	9 10
פְּנוּ־אֵלַ֥י וְהָשַׁ֑מּוּ וְשִׂ֖ימוּ יָ֣ד עַל־פֶּֽה	5		Face me and be desolate, and set hand over mouth.	3e	4B	7 6
וְאִם־זָכַ֥רְתִּי וְנִבְהָ֑לְתִּי וְאָחַ֥ז בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י פַּלָּצֽוּת	6		And if I remember then I am vexed, and tremors grasp my flesh.	3e	4A	9 9
מַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם־גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל	7	B	Why do the wicked live, and are arrogant, also prevailing in wealth?	3e	4B	8 7
זַרְעָ֤ם נָכ֣וֹן לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם עִמָּ֑ם וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֗ם לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם	8		Their seed is prepared in their presence with them, and their offspring in their eyes.	3e	4C	9 10
בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם שָׁל֣וֹם מִפָּ֑חַד וְלֹ֤א שֵׁ֖בֶט אֱל֣וֹהַּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם	9		Their houses are at peace from dread, and the sceptre of God is not on them.	3e	4C	8 10
שׁוֹר֣וֹ עִ֭בַּר וְלֹ֣א יַגְעִ֑ל תְּפַלֵּ֥ט פָּ֝רָת֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א תְשַׁכֵּֽל	10		His bull makes pass and it does not abort. Secure is his cow, and is not bereaved.	3e	4B	8 11
יְשַׁלְּח֣וּ כַ֭צֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝יַלְדֵיהֶ֗ם יְרַקֵּדֽוּן	11		They set loose like sheep their infants, and their toddlers skip.	3e	4B	9 8
יִ֭שְׂאוּ כְּתֹ֣ף וְכִנּ֑וֹר וְ֝יִשְׂמְח֗וּ לְק֣וֹל עוּגָֽב	12	g	They lift up tambourine and harp, and they are glad at the voice of pipes.	3e	4B	7 8
יְכַלּ֣וּ בַטּ֣וֹב יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝בְרֶ֗גַע שְׁא֣וֹל יֵחָֽתּוּ	13		They are able in the good of their days, and in a moment, Sheol, they are dismayed.	3e	4B	8 8
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָ֭אֵל ס֣וּר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְדַ֥עַת דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א חָפָֽצְנוּ	14		And they say to the One, Depart from us. And, The knowledge of your ways we do not delight in.	3e	4B	9 11
מַה־שַׁדַּ֥י כִּֽי־נַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ וּמַה־נּ֝וֹעִ֗יל כִּ֣י נִפְגַּע־בּֽוֹ	15		What is the Sufficient that we should serve him? And what is the use to us that we should compel him?	3e	4B	7 8
הֵ֤ן לֹ֣א בְיָדָ֣ם טוּבָ֑ם עֲצַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים רָ֣חֲקָה מֶֽנִּי	16	C	Lo, not "in their hand is their good". The counsel of the wicked is distant from me.	3e	4C	7 10
כַּמָּ֤ה ׀ נֵר־רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים יִדְעָ֗ךְ וְיָבֹ֣א עָלֵ֣ימוֹ אֵידָ֑ם חֲ֝בָלִ֗ים יְחַלֵּ֥ק בְּאַפּֽוֹ	17		For how is the lamp of the wicked extinguished and their misfortune come upon them, their margins shared in his anger?	3e	4C	16 9
יִהְי֗וּ כְּתֶ֥בֶן לִפְנֵי־ר֑וּחַ וּ֝כְמֹ֗ץ גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ סוּפָֽה	18		"They are as straw before wind, and as chaff that storm stole."	3e	4A	8 8
אֱל֗וֹהַּ יִצְפֹּן־לְבָנָ֥יו אוֹנ֑וֹ יְשַׁלֵּ֖ם אֵלָ֣יו וְיֵדָֽע	19	~	"God treasures for his children his mischief." Let him repay him so he knows.	3e	4B	10 8
יִרְא֣וּ עֵינָ֣יו כִּיד֑וֹ וּמֵחֲמַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יִשְׁתֶּֽה	20		Let his eye see his scale, and from the heat of the Sufficient let him drink.	3e	4B	6 8
כִּ֤י מַה־חֶפְצ֣וֹ בְּבֵית֣וֹ אַחֲרָ֑יו וּמִסְפַּ֖ר חֳדָשָׁ֣יו חֻצָּֽצוּ	21	C	"For what is his delight in his house after him, when the count of his months reaches its half-life?"	3e	4C	10 9
הַלְאֵ֥ל יְלַמֶּד־דָּ֑עַת וְ֝ה֗וּא רָמִ֥ים יִשְׁפּֽוֹט	22		Will he teach knowledge to the One, and himself exalted, be judging?	3e	4A	7 6
זֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּעֶ֣צֶם תֻּמּ֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ שַׁלְאֲנַ֥ן וְשָׁלֵֽיו	23	~	This one dies with bones complete, all of him tranquil and at ease.	3e	4B	8 8
עֲ֭טִינָיו מָלְא֣וּ חָלָ֑ב וּמֹ֖חַ עַצְמוֹתָ֣יו יְשֻׁקֶּֽה	24	g	His pail is full of milk, and the marrow of his bones drenched.	3e	4B	7 9
וְזֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ מָרָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־אָ֝כַ֗ל בַּטּוֹבָֽה	25		This other one dies within itself, bitter, and does not eat of what is good.	3e	4B	9 6
יַ֭חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ וְ֝רִמָּ֗ה תְּכַסֶּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם	26	g	As one in dust they lie down, and maggots cover them.	3e	4B	8 9
הֵ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וּ֝מְזִמּ֗וֹת עָלַ֥י תַּחְמֹֽסוּ	27	B	Lo, I know your machinations, and schemes over me that do violence.	3e	4B	9 8
כִּ֤י תֹֽאמְר֗וּ אַיֵּ֥ה בֵית־נָדִ֑יב וְ֝אַיֵּ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל ׀ מִשְׁכְּנ֬וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים	28	C	For you say, Where is the house of the noble, and where the tent of the dwellings of the wicked?	3e	4C	8 11
הֲלֹ֣א שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם ע֣וֹבְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗ם לֹ֣א תְנַכֵּֽרוּ	29		Have you not asked them that pass by the way? And their signs, do you not recognize?	3e	4B	9 9
כִּ֤י לְי֣וֹם אֵ֭יד יֵחָ֣שֶׂךְ רָ֑ע לְי֖וֹם עֲבָר֣וֹת יוּבָֽלוּ	30	C	"For to the day of misfortune one who is evil is spared. To the day of rage he is brought forth."	3e	4C	8 8
מִֽי־יַגִּ֣יד עַל־פָּנָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְהֽוּא־עָ֝שָׂ֗ה מִ֣י יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ	31		Who will tell his way to his face? And what he has done, who will repay him?	3e	4B	7 9
וְ֭הוּא לִקְבָר֣וֹת יוּבָ֑ל וְֽעַל־גָּדִ֥ישׁ יִשְׁקֽוֹד	32	g	But he to the tombs is escorted, and in a "rich heap" he will be vigilant.	3e	4B	7 6
מָֽתְקוּ־ל֗וֹ רִגְבֵ֫י נָ֥חַל וְ֭אַחֲרָיו כָּל־אָדָ֣ם יִמְשׁ֑וֹךְ וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר	33		Sweet to him are the clods of a wadi, and after him drags every human, and before him they are without count.	3e	4B	6 9 6
וְ֭אֵיךְ תְּנַחֲמ֣וּנִי הָ֑בֶל וּ֝תְשֽׁוּבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם נִשְׁאַר־מָֽעַל ס	34	g	So why do you comfort me with futility? And your ripostes leave a residue of trespass.	3e	4B	9 10