Job 21:15-16

21:15 Who is the Almighty, that ¹  we should serve him?

What would we gain

if we were to pray ²  to him?’ ³ 

21:16 But their prosperity is not their own doing. ⁴ 

The counsel of the wicked is far from me! ⁵ 

[21:15]  ¹ tn The interrogative clause is followed by ki, similar to Exod 5:2, “Who is Yahweh, that I should obey him?”

[21:15]  ² tn The verb פָּגַע (paga’) means “to encounter; to meet,” but also “to meet with request; to intercede; to interpose.” The latter meaning is a derived meaning by usage.

[21:15]  ³ tn The verse is not present in the LXX. It may be that it was considered too blasphemous and therefore omitted.

[21:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “is not in their hand.”

[21:16]  ⁵ sn Even though their life seems so good in contrast to his own plight, Job cannot and will not embrace their principles – “far be from me their counsel.”