< Job 20 >

1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:
2 Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.
For this do my thoughts lead me to reply, And for this is my ardor within me.
3 I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.
I have heard my shameful rebuke; And the spirit, from my understanding, answereth for me.
4 Knowest thou [not] this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,
Knowest thou not, that from the days of old, From the time when man was placed upon the earth,
5 The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?
The triumphing of the wicked hath been short, And the joy of the impious but for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds,
Though his greatness mount up to the heavens, And his head reach to the clouds,
7 Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
Yet shall he perish for ever, and be mingled with dust; They who saw him shall 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.
He shall flee away like a dream, and shall not be found; Yea, he shall disappear like a vision of the nigh.
9 The eye which saw him shall [see him] not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.
The eye also which saw him shall see him no more, And his dwelling-place shall never more behold him.
10 His children shall seek the favour of the poor, and his hands restore his wealth.
His sons shall seek the favor of the poor, And their hands shall give back his wealth.
11 His bones were full of his youthful strength; but it shall lie down with him in the dust.
His bones are full of his youth, But they shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth [and] he hide it under his tongue,
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,
13 [Though] he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it within his mouth,
Though he cherish it, and will not part with it, And keep it fast in his mouth,
14 His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.
Yet his meat shall be changed within him, And become to him the poison of asps.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, but he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
He hath glutted himself with riches, And he shall throw them up again; Yea, God shall cast them out of his body.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall kill him.
He shall suck the poison of asps; The tongue of the viper shall destroy him.
17 He shall not see streams, rivers, brooks of honey and butter.
He shall never see the flowing streams, And the rivers of honey and milk.
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].
The fruits of his toil he shall give back, and shall not enjoy them: It is substance to be restored, and he shall not rejoice therein.
19 For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.
Because he hath oppressed and abandoned the poor, And seized upon the house which he did not build;
20 Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.
Because he knew no rest in his bosom, He shall not save that in which he delighteth.
21 Nothing escaped his greediness; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
Because nothing escaped his greediness, His prosperity shall not endure.
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 he shall be brought low; Every hand of the wretched shall come upon 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.
He shall, indeed, have wherewith to fill himself: God shall send upon him the fury of his anger, And rain it down upon him for his food.
24 If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.
If he fleeth from the iron weapon, The bow of brass shall pierce 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 the arrow, and it cometh forth from his body; Yea, the glittering steel cometh out of his gall. Terrors are upon him;
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.
Calamity of every kind is treasured up for him. A fire not blown shall consume him; It shall consume whatever is left in his tent.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house shall depart, flowing away in the day of his anger.
The substance of his house shall disappear; It shall flow away in the day of His wrath.
29 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.
Such is the portion of the wicked man from God, And the inheritance appointed for him by the Almighty.

< Job 20 >