Job 20
1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and saide,
Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
2 Doubtlesse my thoughts cause me to answere, and therefore I make haste.
“So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me.
3 I haue heard the correction of my reproch: therefore the spirite of mine vnderstanding causeth me to answere.
I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.
4 Knowest thou not this of olde? and since God placed man vpon the earth,
Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth,
5 That the reioycing of the wicked is short, and that the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment?
the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
6 Though his excellencie mount vp to the heauen, and his head reache vnto the cloudes,
Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds,
7 Yet shall hee perish for euer, like his dung, and they which haue seene him, shall say, Where is hee?
he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’
8 He shall flee away as a dreame, and they shall not finde him, and shall passe away as a vision of the night,
He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.
9 So that the eye which had seene him, shall do so no more, and his place shall see him no more.
The eye that saw him will see him no more, and his place will no longer behold him.
10 His children shall flatter the poore, and his hands shall restore his substance.
His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
11 His bones are full of the sinne of his youth, and it shall lie downe with him in the dust.
The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.
12 When wickednesse was sweete in his mouth, and he hid it vnder his tongue,
Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,
13 And fauoured it, and would not forsake it, but kept it close in his mouth,
though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth,
14 Then his meat in his bowels was turned: the gall of Aspes was in the middes of him.
yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.
15 He hath deuoured substance, and hee shall vomit it: for God shall drawe it out of his bellie.
He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
16 He shall sucke the gall of Aspes, and the vipers tongue shall slay him.
He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.
17 He shall not see the riuers, nor the floods and streames of honie and butter.
He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 He shall restore the labour, and shall deuoure no more: euen according to the substance shalbe his exchange, and he shall enioy it no more.
He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
19 For he hath vndone many: he hath forsaken the poore, and hath spoyled houses which he builded not.
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.
20 Surely he shall feele no quietnes in his bodie, neither shall he reserue of that which he desired.
Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure.
21 There shall none of his meate bee left: therefore none shall hope for his goods.
Nothing is left for him to consume; thus his prosperity will not endure.
22 When he shalbe filled with his abundance, he shalbe in paine, and the hand of all the wicked shall assaile him.
In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will come upon him.
23 He shall be about to fill his belly, but God shall sende vpon him his fierce wrath, and shall cause to rayne vpon him, euen vpon his meate.
When he has filled his stomach, God will vent His fury upon him, raining it down on him as he eats.
24 He shall flee from the yron weapons, and the bow of steele shall strike him through.
Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him.
25 The arrowe is drawen out, and commeth forth of the body, and shineth of his gall, so feare commeth vpon him.
It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.
26 All darkenes shalbe hid in his secret places: the fire that is not blowen, shall deuoure him, and that which remaineth in his tabernacle, shalbe destroyed.
Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.
27 The heauen shall declare his wickednes, and the earth shall rise vp against him.
The heavens will expose his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house shall go away: it shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.
29 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage that he shall haue of God for his wordes.
This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the inheritance God has appointed him.”
