Job 20
1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
2 Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason of my haste that is in me.
“So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me.
3 I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.
4 Knowest thou [not] this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,
Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless but for a moment?
the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds;
Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds,
7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?
he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, ‘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.
He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.
9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more behold him.
The eye that saw him will see him no more, and his place will no longer behold him.
10 His children shall seek the favor of the poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth.
His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the dust.
The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,
Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,
13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;
though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth,
14 Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him.
yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.
He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps: The viper’s tongue shall slay him.
He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.
17 He shall not look upon the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter.
He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.
He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
19 For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.
20 Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.
Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure.
21 There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
Nothing is left for him to consume; thus his prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.
In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will 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.
When he has filled his stomach, God will vent His fury upon him, raining it down on him as he eats.
24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through.
Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him.
25 He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.
It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.
26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown [by man] shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him.
The heavens will expose his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house shall depart; [His goods] shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.
29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the heritage appointed unto him by God.
This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the inheritance God has appointed him.”
