Job 20

1 Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said,

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, 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 do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of mine agitation 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 putteth me to shame, but out of my understanding my spirit answereth me.

4 Dost thou know this? from the very beginning of things, from the very time when man was placed upon earth it was,

Knowest thou not 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 godless but for a moment?

6 Though his exaltation should mount up to the heavens, and his head should reach unto the clouds;

Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto 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 for ever like his own dung; they that 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 children shall appease the poor, and his hands shall restore 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 spare 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 hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God shall 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 slay 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 curd.

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 laboured for shall he give back, and shall not swallow it down; according to the substance that he hath 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 hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; he hath 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, in his greed he suffered nought to escape,

21 Nothing was spared from his craving to eat: therefore shall his wealth not prosper.

There was nothing left that he devoured not — 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 fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; the hand of every one that 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.

It shall be for the filling of his belly; He shall cast the fierceness of His wrath upon him, and shall cause it to rain upon him into his flesh.

24 If he flee from the iron weapon, the brazen bow will strike him through.

If he flee from the iron weapon, 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 draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; yea, the glittering point cometh 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 by man shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that 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, his goods shall flow 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 unto him by God.