Job 20
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —
2 “So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me.
Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.
3 I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.
The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:
4 Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth,
This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?
5 the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,
6 Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds,
Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike —
7 he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’
As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: 'Where [is] he?'
8 He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.
As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more, and his place will no longer behold him.
The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.
10 His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.
11 The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.
His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.
12 Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,
Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,
13 though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth,
Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,
14 yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.
His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart.
15 He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.
Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.
17 He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.
18 He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
He is giving back [what] he laboured for, And doth not consume [it]; As a bulwark [is] his exchange, and he exults not.
19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.
For he oppressed — he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.
20 Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure.
For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.
21 Nothing is left for him to consume; thus his prosperity will not endure.
There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.
22 In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will come upon him.
In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.
23 When he has filled his stomach, God will vent His fury upon him, raining it down on him as he eats.
It cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his eating.
24 Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him.
He fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.
25 It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.
One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him [are] terrors.
26 Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.
All darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.
27 The heavens will expose his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.
Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.
28 The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.
Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.
29 This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the inheritance God has appointed him.”
This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.
