Job 20
1 Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and saide,
2 I did not suppose that you would answer thus: neither do you understand more than I.
Doubtlesse my thoughts cause me to answere, and therefore I make haste.
3 I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.
I haue heard the correction of my reproch: therefore the spirite of mine vnderstanding causeth me to answere.
4 Hast you [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?
Knowest thou not this of olde? and since God placed man vpon the earth,
5 But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:
That the reioycing of the wicked is short, and that the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment?
6 although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.
Though his excellencie mount vp to the heauen, and his head reache vnto the cloudes,
7 For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?
Yet shall hee perish for euer, like his dung, and they which haue seene him, shall say, Where is hee?
8 Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.
He shall flee away as a dreame, and they shall not finde him, and shall passe away as a vision of the night,
9 The eye has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.
So that the eye which had seene him, shall do so no more, and his place shall see him no more.
10 Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.
His children shall flatter the poore, and his hands shall restore his substance.
11 His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust.
His bones are full of the sinne of his youth, and it shall lie downe with him in the dust.
12 Though evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will hide it under his tongue;
When wickednesse was sweete in his mouth, and he hid it vnder his tongue,
13 though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:
And fauoured it, and would not forsake it, but kept it close in his mouth,
14 yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.
Then his meat in his bowels was turned: the gall of Aspes was in the middes of him.
15 [His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of wrath] shall drag him out of his house.
He hath deuoured substance, and hee shall vomit it: for God shall drawe it out of his bellie.
16 And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent's tongue kill him.
He shall sucke the gall of Aspes, and the vipers tongue shall slay him.
17 Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.
He shall not see the riuers, nor the floods and streames of honie and butter.
18 He has laboured unprofitably and in vain, [for] wealth of which he shall not taste: [it is] as a lean thing, unfit for food, which he can’t swallow.
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.
19 For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.
For he hath vndone many: he hath forsaken the poore, and hath spoyled houses which he builded not.
20 There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.
Surely he shall feele no quietnes in his bodie, neither shall he reserue of that which he desired.
21 There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.
There shall none of his meate bee left: therefore none shall hope for his goods.
22 But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.
When he shalbe filled with his abundance, he shalbe in paine, and the hand of all the wicked shall assaile him.
23 If by any means he would fill his belly, let [God] send upon him the fury of wrath; let him bring a torrent of pains upon him.
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.
24 And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.
He shall flee from the yron weapons, and the bow of steele shall strike him through.
25 And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon him.
The arrowe is drawen out, and commeth forth of the body, and shineth of his gall, so feare commeth vpon him.
26 And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.
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.
27 And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.
The heauen shall declare his wickednes, and the earth shall rise vp against him.
28 Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.
The increase of his house shall go away: it shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29 This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].
This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage that he shall haue of God for his wordes.
