Job 20
1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said,
2 Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.
Even therefore do my inmost thoughts give me an answer, and for this reason do I feel a strong excitement within me.
3 I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.
Reproof which casteth shame on me must I hear; yet out of my understanding will the spirit give me an answer.
4 Knowest thou [not] this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,
Dost thou know this? from the very beginning of things, from the very time when man was placed upon earth it was,
5 The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?
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 his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds,
Though his exaltation should mount up to the heavens, and his head should reach unto the clouds;
7 Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall 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 flieth away as a dream, and is not found; and is chased away as 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 shall [see him] not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.
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 shall seek the favour of the poor, and his hands restore his wealth.
His children will suffer oppression from the indigent, and his hands will have to restore his [ill-gotten] wealth.
11 His bones were full of his youthful strength; but it shall lie down with him in the dust.
[Now] his bones are full of his youthful vigor; but it will [suddenly] lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth [and] he hide it under his tongue,
If the evil be sweet in his mouth, he will conceal it under his tongue;
13 [Though] he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it within his mouth,
He will cherish it, and not forsake it; and hold it back within his palate;
14 His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.
His food is thus changed within his bowels, and becometh the venom of asps within him.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, but he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
The wealth which he hath swallowed, will he have to vomit up again; God will drive it out of his belly.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall kill him.
The poison of asps will he have to suck; the viper's tongue will slay him.
17 He shall not see streams, rivers, brooks of honey and butter.
He shall not look with pleasure on streams, on flowing brooks of honey and cream.
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].
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 For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.
Because he oppressed and forsook the indigent; because he took violently away a house, shall he not rebuild it;
20 Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.
Because he knew not quietness in his bosom, shall he not escape through what is the most precious to him.
21 Nothing escaped his greediness; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
Nothing was spared from his craving to eat: therefore shall his wealth not prosper.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.
In the fulness of his abundance will distress assail him: every hand of [those he] troubled will come against him.
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.
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 If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.
If he flee from the iron weapon, the brazen bow will strike him through.
25 He draweth it forth; it cometh out of his body, and the glittering point out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
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 darkness is laid up for his treasures: a fire not blown shall devour him; it shall feed upon what is left 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 shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.
The heavens will lay open his iniquity; and the earth will raise herself up against him.
28 The increase of his house shall depart, flowing away in the day of his anger.
The product of his house will be banished, flowing away on the day of his wrath.
29 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and his decreed heritage from God.
