Job 20
1 Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said,
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, and said,
2 Even therefore do my inmost thoughts give me an answer, and for this reason do I feel a strong excitement within me.
Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, even because of my haste that is in me.
3 Reproof which casteth shame on me must I hear; yet out of my understanding will the spirit give me an answer.
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame, and the spirit of my understanding answers me.
4 Dost thou know this? from the very beginning of things, from the very time when man was placed upon earth it was,
Know thou this of old time, since man was placed upon earth,
5 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.
that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the profane but for a moment?
6 Though his exaltation should mount up to the heavens, and his head should reach unto the clouds;
Though his height mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds,
7 Yet when he but turneth round will he vanish for ever; those who have seen him will say, Where is he?
yet he shall perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8 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.
He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found. Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9 If an eye have surveyed him, it will not do so again, and it will not behold him any more in his place.
The eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more behold him.
10 His children will suffer oppression from the indigent, and his hands will have to restore his [ill-gotten] wealth.
His sons shall seek the favor of the poor, and his hands shall give back his wealth.
11 [Now] his bones are full of his youthful vigor; but it will [suddenly] lie down with him in the dust.
His bones are full of his youth, but it shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 If the evil be sweet in his mouth, he will conceal it under his tongue;
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,
13 He will cherish it, and not forsake it; and hold it back within his palate;
though he spares it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth,
14 His food is thus changed within his bowels, and becometh the venom of asps within him.
yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is the gall of asps within him.
15 The wealth which he hath swallowed, will he have to vomit up again; God will drive it out of his belly.
He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
16 The poison of asps will he have to suck; the viper's tongue will slay him.
He shall suck the poison of asps. The viper's tongue shall kill him.
17 He shall not look with pleasure on streams, on flowing brooks of honey and cream.
He shall not look upon the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.
18 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.
That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down. According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.
19 Because he oppressed and forsook the indigent; because he took violently away a house, shall he not rebuild it;
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
20 Because he knew not quietness in his bosom, shall he not escape through what is the most precious to him.
Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save any of that in which he delights.
21 Nothing was spared from his craving to eat: therefore shall his wealth not prosper.
There was nothing left that he did not devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22 In the fulness of his abundance will distress assail him: every hand of [those he] troubled will come against him.
In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits. The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come upon him.
23 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.
When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, and will rain it upon him while he is eating.
24 If he flee from the iron weapon, the brazen bow will strike him through.
He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25 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].
He draws it forth, and it comes out of his body, yea, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Terrors are upon him.
26 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.
All darkness is laid up for his treasures. A fire not blown shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will lay open his iniquity; and the earth will raise herself up against him.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.
28 The product of his house will be banished, flowing away on the day of his wrath.
The increase of his house shall depart, flowed away in the day of his wrath.
29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and his decreed heritage from God.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.
