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.
“My thoughts make me answer quickly because of the worry 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 hear a rebuke that dishonors me, but a spirit from 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,
Do you not know this fact from ancient times, when God placed man on 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.
the triumph of a wicked man is short, and the joy of a godless man lasts only for a moment?
6 Though his exaltation should mount up to the heavens, and his head should reach unto the clouds;
Though his height reaches 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 such a person will perish permanently like his own feces; those who have seen him will 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 will fly away like a dream and will not be found; indeed, he will be chased away like 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 that saw him will see him no more; his place will see him no longer.
10 His children will suffer oppression from the indigent, and his hands will have to restore his [ill-gotten] wealth.
His children will apologize to poor people; his hands will have to 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 youthful strength, but it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 If the evil be sweet in his mouth, he will conceal it under his tongue;
Although wickedness is sweet in his mouth, although he hides it under his tongue,
13 He will cherish it, and not forsake it; and hold it back within his palate;
although he holds it there and does not let it go but keeps it still in his mouth—
14 His food is thus changed within his bowels, and becometh the venom of asps within him.
the food in his intestines turns bitter; it becomes the poison of asps inside him.
15 The wealth which he hath swallowed, will he have to vomit up again; God will drive it out of his belly.
He swallows down riches, but he will vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his stomach.
16 The poison of asps will he have to suck; the viper's tongue will slay him.
He will suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue will kill him.
17 He shall not look with pleasure on streams, on flowing brooks of honey and cream.
He will not enjoy the streams, the torrents 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.
He will give back the fruit of his labor and will not be able to eat it; he will not enjoy the wealth earned by his commerce.
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 neglected poor people; he has violently taken away houses that he did not build.
20 Because he knew not quietness in his bosom, shall he not escape through what is the most precious to him.
Because he has known no satisfaction himself, he will not be able to save anything in which he takes pleasure.
21 Nothing was spared from his craving to eat: therefore shall his wealth not prosper.
There is nothing left that he did not devour; therefore his prosperity will not be permanent.
22 In the fulness of his abundance will distress assail him: every hand of [those he] troubled will come against him.
In the abundance of his wealth he will fall into trouble; the hand of everyone who is in poverty will come against 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 stomach, God will throw the fierceness of his wrath on him; God will rain it down on him while he is eating.
24 If he flee from the iron weapon, the brazen bow will strike him through.
Although that man will flee from the iron weapon, a bow of bronze will shoot him.
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 pulls it out of his back and the gleaming point comes out of his liver. Terrors come over 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.
Complete darkness is reserved for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; it will consume what is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will lay open his iniquity; and the earth will raise herself up against him.
The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him as a witness.
28 The product of his house will be banished, flowing away on the day of his wrath.
The wealth of his house will vanish; his goods will flow away on the day of God's wrath.
29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and his decreed heritage from God.
This is the wicked man's portion from God, the heritage reserved for him by God.”
