Job 20

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, and said,

Then responded Zophar the Naamathite, and said: —

2 Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, even because of my haste that is in me.

Not so, do my thoughts answer me, and to this end, is my haste within me:

3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame, and the spirit of my understanding answers me.

The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit—out of my understanding, will give me a reply.

4 Know thou this of old time, since man was placed upon earth,

Knowest thou, this—from antiquity, from the placing of man upon earth: —

5 that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the profane but for a moment?

That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?

6 Though his height mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds,

Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, and, his head, to the clouds, doth reach,

7 yet he shall perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him shall say, Where is he?

Like his own stubble, shall he utterly perish, They who had seen him, shall say, Where is he?

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found. Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

Like a dream, shall he fly away, and they shall not find him, yea he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night.

9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more behold him.

The eye that hath scanned him, shall not do it again, neither, any more, shall his place behold him:

10 His sons shall seek the favor of the poor, and his hands shall give back his wealth.

His children, shall seek the favour of the poor, and, his own hand, shall give back his wealth.

11 His bones are full of his youth, but it shall lie down with him in the dust.

His bones, are full of youthful vigour, yet, with him—in the dust, shall it lie down.

12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

Though, a sweet taste in his mouth, be given by vice, though he hide it under his tongue;

13 though he spares it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth,

Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,

14 yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is the gall of asps within him.

His food, in his stomach, is changed, the gall of adders, within him!

15 He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

Wealth, hath he swallowed, and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly, shall, GOD, drive it forth:

16 He shall suck the poison of asps. The viper's tongue shall kill him.

The poison of adders, shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;

17 He shall not look upon the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

Let him not see in the channels the flowings of torrents of honey and milk.

18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down. According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.

In vain, he toiled, he shall not swallow, like wealth to be restored, in which he cannot exult!

19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

For he hath oppressed—hath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.

20 Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save any of that in which he delights.

Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind, —With his dearest thing, shall he not get away:

21 There was nothing left that he did not devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

Nothing escaped his devouring greed, —For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:

22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits. The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come upon him.

When his abundance is gone, he shall be in straits, All the power of distress, shall come upon him.

23 When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, and will rain it upon him while he is eating.

It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain [it] upon him for his punishment.

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of brass shall strike him through.

He shall flee from the armour of iron, —There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!

25 He draws it forth, and it comes out of his body, yea, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Terrors are upon him.

He hath drawn it out, and it hath come forth out of his back, —yea the flashing arrow-head, out of his gall, There shall march on him—terrors:

26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures. A fire not blown shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures, —There shall consume, a fire, not blown up, —it shall destroy what remaineth in his tent:

27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.

The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and, the earth, be rising up against him:

28 The increase of his house shall depart, flowed away in the day of his wrath.

The increase of his house shall vanish, melting away in the day of his anger.

29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.

This, is the portion of the lawless man, from God, and the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.