Job 20
1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
Then responded Zophar the Naamathite, and said: —
2 Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.
Not so, do my thoughts answer me, and to this end, is my haste within me:
3 I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.
The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit—out of my understanding, will give me a reply.
4 Knowest thou [not] this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,
Knowest thou, this—from antiquity, from the placing of man upon earth: —
5 The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?
That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds,
Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, and, his head, to the clouds, doth reach,
7 Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
Like his own stubble, shall he utterly perish, They who had seen 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.
Like a dream, shall he fly away, and they shall not find him, yea he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night.
9 The eye which saw him shall [see him] not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.
The eye that hath scanned him, shall not do it again, neither, any more, shall his place behold him:
10 His children shall seek the favour of the poor, and his hands restore his wealth.
His children, shall seek the favour of the poor, and, his own hand, 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 youthful vigour, yet, with him—in the dust, shall it lie down.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth [and] he hide it under his tongue,
Though, a sweet taste in his mouth, be given by vice, though he hide it under his tongue;
13 [Though] he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it within his mouth,
Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,
14 His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.
His food, in his stomach, is changed, the gall of adders, within him!
15 He hath swallowed down riches, but he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
Wealth, hath he swallowed, and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly, shall, GOD, drive it forth:
16 He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall kill him.
The poison of adders, shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;
17 He shall not see streams, rivers, brooks of honey and butter.
Let him not see in the channels the flowings of torrents 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].
In vain, he toiled, he shall not swallow, like wealth to be restored, in which he cannot exult!
19 For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.
For he hath oppressed—hath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.
20 Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.
Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind, —With his dearest thing, shall he not get away:
21 Nothing escaped his greediness; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
Nothing escaped his devouring greed, —For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.
When his abundance is gone, he shall be in straits, All the power of distress, 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.
It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain [it] upon him for his punishment.
24 If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.
He shall flee from the armour of iron, —There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!
25 He draweth it forth; it cometh out of his body, and the glittering point out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
He hath drawn it out, and it hath come forth out of his back, —yea the flashing arrow-head, out of his gall, There shall march on him—terrors:
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.
Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures, —There shall consume, a fire, not blown up, —it shall destroy what remaineth 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, be rising up against him:
28 The increase of his house shall depart, flowing away in the day of his anger.
The increase of his house shall vanish, melting away in the day of his anger.
29 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.
This, is the portion of the lawless man, from God, and the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.
