Job 20

1 And Zophar the Naamathite answers and says:

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 “Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.

I did not suppose that thou wouldest answer thus: neither do ye understand more than I.

3 I hear the discipline of my shame, And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer:

I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.

4 Have you known this from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?

Hast thou [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?

5 That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:

6 Though his excellence goes up to the heavens, He strikes his head against a cloud—

although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.

7 He perishes as his own dung forever, His beholders say, Where [is] he?

For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?

8 He flees as a dream, and they do not find him, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,

Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.

9 The eye has not seen him, and does not add. And his place does not behold him again.

The eye has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.

10 His sons oppress the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.

Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.

11 His bones have been full of his youth, and it lies down with him on the dust.

His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 Though he sweetens evil in his mouth, hides it under his tongue,

Though evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will hide it under his tongue;

13 has pity on it, and does not forsake it, and keeps it back in the midst of his palate,

though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:

14 his food is turned in his bowels, the bitterness of cobras [is] in his heart.

yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.

15 He has swallowed wealth, and vomits it. God drives it out from his belly.

[His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of wrath] shall drag him out of his house.

16 He sucks [the] gall of cobras, the tongue of a viper slays him.

And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent's tongue slay him.

17 He does not look on streams, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.

Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.

18 He is giving back [what] he labored for, and does not consume [it]; As a bulwark [is] his exchange, and he does not exult.

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 cannot swallow.

19 For he oppressed—he forsook the poor, He has taken a house away violently, And he does not build it.

For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.

20 For he has not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he does not deliver himself.

There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.

21 There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good does not stay.

There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.

22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he is constricted. Every perverse hand meets him.

But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.

23 It comes to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sends forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Indeed, He rains on him in his eating.

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.

24 He flees from an iron weapon, A bow of bronze passes through him.

And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.

25 One has drawn, And it comes out from the body, And a glittering weapon proceeds from his gall. Terrors [are] on him.

And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon him.

26 All darkness is hid for his treasures, A fire not blown consumes him, The remnant is broken in his tent.

And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.

27 The heavens reveal his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.

And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.

28 The increase of his house is removed, Poured forth in a day of His anger.

Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.

29 This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.”

This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].