Job 20
1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
2 Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.
“I'm forced to reply because I'm really upset!
3 I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.
What I hear you say insults me, but I know how to reply to you!
4 Knowest thou [not] this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,
Don't you know that since ancient times, since human beings were put on this earth,
5 The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?
that the triumph of the wicked doesn't last long, that those who reject God are only happy for a short time?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds,
Even though they are so tall they reach the heavens, even though their heads reach the clouds,
7 Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
they will vanish forever like their own excrement. People who knew them will ask, ‘Where have they gone?’
8 He flieth away as a dream, and is not found; and is chased away as a vision of the night.
They will vanish like a dream, never to be found, fleeing like a vision of the night.
9 The eye which saw him shall [see him] not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.
Those who once saw them will not see them anymore; their families will never set eyes on them again.
10 His children shall seek the favour of the poor, and his hands restore his wealth.
Their children will have to pay back the poor; they will have to return their wealth.
11 His bones were full of his youthful strength; but it shall lie down with him in the dust.
Though the wicked have bodies that are young and strong, they will die and be buried.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth [and] he hide it under his tongue,
Though evil tastes sweet in their mouths and they hide it under their tongues,
13 [Though] he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it within his mouth,
not letting it go but keeping it in their mouths,
14 His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.
in their stomachs it turns bitter, becoming like snake venom inside them.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, but he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
They swallow wealth and vomit it up again; God forces it from their stomachs.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall kill him.
They suck in snake venom; the bite of the viper will kill them.
17 He shall not see streams, rivers, brooks of honey and butter.
They will not live to enjoy the streams, the rivers of milk and honey.
18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and not swallow down; its restitution shall be according to the value, and he shall not rejoice [therein].
They will have to give back what they have gained and will not have any benefit; they will not enjoy any of their profits.
19 For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.
For they have oppressed and abandoned the poor; they have seized houses they did not build.
20 Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.
Because their greed was never satisfied, nothing they liked is left that they didn't consume.
21 Nothing escaped his greediness; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
Nothing escapes their ravenous appetites, so their happiness doesn't last long.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.
Even when the wicked have all that they want they run into trouble; all kinds of misery will fall upon them.
23 It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will cast his fierce anger upon him, and will rain it upon him into his flesh.
While they are busy filling their bellies, God's hostility will burn against them, raining down on them.
24 If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.
As they flee to escape an iron weapon, a bronze arrow will strike them down.
25 He draweth it forth; it cometh out of his body, and the glittering point out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
The arrow is pulled out of their gall bladder, glistening with blood. They are absolutely terrified!
26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures: a fire not blown shall devour him; it shall feed upon what is left in his tent.
All they value will disappear into the darkness; divine fire will destroy them; all they have left will go up in smoke.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.
The heavens reveal what they have done wrong; the earth will rise up against them.
28 The increase of his house shall depart, flowing away in the day of his anger.
All their possessions will be carried from their homes; they will be dragged off on the day of God's judgment.
29 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.
This is the share the wicked receive from God, the inheritance God says they should have.”
