Job 20
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,
Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said,
2 For this cause my thoughts are troubling me and driving me on.
Even therefore do my inmost thoughts give me an answer, and for this reason do I feel a strong excitement within me.
3 I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.
Reproof which casteth shame on me must I hear; yet out of my understanding will the spirit give me an answer.
4 Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,
Dost thou know this? from the very beginning of things, from the very time when man was placed upon earth it was,
5 That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?
That the triumphal shouting of the wicked is ever of but a recent date, and the joy of the hypocrite endureth only for a moment.
6 Though he is lifted up to the heavens, and his head goes up to the clouds;
Though his exaltation should mount up to the heavens, and his head should reach unto the clouds;
7 Like the waste from his body he comes to an end for ever: those who have seen him say, Where is he?
Yet when he but turneth round will he vanish for ever; those who have seen him will say, Where is he?
8 He is gone like a dream, and is not seen again; he goes in flight like a vision of the night.
Like a dream will he fly away, and men will find him no more; yea, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye which saw him sees him no longer; and his place has no more knowledge of him.
If an eye have surveyed him, it will not do so again, and it will not behold him any more in his place.
10 His children are hoping that the poor will be kind to them, and his hands give back his wealth.
His children will suffer oppression from the indigent, and his hands will have to restore his [ill-gotten] wealth.
11 His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.
[Now] his bones are full of his youthful vigor; but it will [suddenly] lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though evil-doing is sweet in his mouth, and he keeps it secretly under his tongue;
If the evil be sweet in his mouth, he will conceal it under his tongue;
13 Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;
He will cherish it, and not forsake it; and hold it back within his palate;
14 His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.
His food is thus changed within his bowels, and becometh the venom of asps within him.
15 He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God.
The wealth which he hath swallowed, will he have to vomit up again; God will drive it out of his belly.
16 He takes the poison of snakes into his mouth, the tongue of the snake is the cause of his death.
The poison of asps will he have to suck; the viper's tongue will slay him.
17 Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.
He shall not look with pleasure on streams, on flowing brooks of honey and cream.
18 He is forced to give back the fruit of his work, and may not take it for food; he has no joy in the profit of his trading.
He restoreth what he hath labored for, and will not swallow it down; however much he may have obtained by toil, he will not have any joy of it.
19 Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;
Because he oppressed and forsook the indigent; because he took violently away a house, shall he not rebuild it;
20 There is no peace for him in his wealth, and no salvation for him in those things in which he took delight.
Because he knew not quietness in his bosom, shall he not escape through what is the most precious to him.
21 He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.
Nothing was spared from his craving to eat: therefore shall his wealth not prosper.
22 Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.
In the fulness of his abundance will distress assail him: every hand of [those he] troubled will come against him.
23 God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.
In order to fill his belly, [God] will send out against him the fury of his wrath, and will rain it upon him for his eating.
24 He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;
If he flee from the iron weapon, the brazen bow will strike him through.
25 He is pulling it out, and it comes out of his back; and its shining point comes out of his side; he is overcome by fears.
He draweth it, and it cometh out of the body; yea, out of his gall the glittering [arrow] cometh forth: over him come the terrors [of death].
26 All his wealth is stored up for the dark: a fire not made by man sends destruction on him, and on everything in his tent.
Entire darkness is laid by for his treasures: a fire not urged by blowing will consume him; it will destroy any one that is left in his tent.
27 The heavens make clear his sin, and the earth gives witness against him.
The heavens will lay open his iniquity; and the earth will raise herself up against him.
28 The produce of his house is taken away into another country, like things given into the hands of others in the day of wrath.
The product of his house will be banished, flowing away on the day of his wrath.
29 This is the reward of the evil man, and the heritage given to him by God.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and his decreed heritage from God.
