Job 20
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2 For this cause my thoughts are troubling me and driving me on.
Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3 I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.
I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame, and the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
4 Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,
Knowest thou [not] this of old time, since man was placed upon earth,
5 That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?
That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Though he is lifted up to the heavens, and his head goes up to the clouds;
Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head 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 he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall 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.
He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9 The eye which saw him sees him no longer; and his place has no more knowledge of him.
The eye which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
10 His children are hoping that the poor will be kind to them, and his hands give back his wealth.
His children shall seek the favour of the poor, and his hands shall give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.
His bones are full of his youth, but it shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though evil-doing is sweet in his mouth, and he keeps it secretly under his tongue;
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
13 Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;
Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;
14 His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.
Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall 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.
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them 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.
He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper’s tongue shall slay him.
17 Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.
He shall not look upon the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.
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.
That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; according to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.
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;
For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away an house, and he shall not build it up.
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 no quietness within him, he shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.
21 He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.
There was nothing left that he devoured not; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
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 sufficiency he shall be in straits: the hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.
23 God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.
When he is about to fill his belly, [God] shall cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.
24 He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;
He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of brass shall 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 forth, and it cometh out of his body: yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall; terrors are upon him.
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.
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.
27 The heavens make clear his sin, and the earth gives witness against him.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise 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 increase of his house shall depart, [his goods] shall flow away in 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 the heritage appointed unto him by God.
