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 cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
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 check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
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, 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 hypocrite 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 which 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 also 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 seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
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 the sin of his youth, which 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 forsake it not; 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 meat 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: El 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 see the rivers, the floods, the brooks 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 laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.
19 Because he oppressed and forsook the indigent; because he took violently away a house, shall he not rebuild it;
Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
20 Because he knew not quietness in his bosom, shall he not escape through what is the most precious to him.
Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
21 Nothing was spared from his craving to eat: therefore shall his wealth not prosper.
There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
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: every hand of the wicked 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, Elohim shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall 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 steel 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].
It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword 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 shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.
27 The heavens will lay open his iniquity; and the earth will raise herself up against him.
The heaven 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, and 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 Elohim, and the heritage appointed unto him by El.
