Job 20

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said,

2 "Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.

Even therefore do my inmost thoughts give me an answer, and for this reason do I feel a strong excitement within me.

3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.

Reproof which casteth shame on me must I hear; yet out of my understanding will the spirit give me an answer.

4 Do you not know this from old time, since humankind was placed on earth,

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

5 that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?

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.

6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,

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

7 yet he shall perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him shall say, 'Where is he?'

Yet when he but turneth round will he vanish for ever; those who have seen him will say, Where is he?

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found. Yes, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night.

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.

9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more see him.

If an eye have surveyed him, it will not do so again, and it will not behold him any more in his place.

10 His children shall seek the favor of the poor. His hands shall give back his wealth.

His children will suffer oppression from the indigent, and his hands will have to restore his [ill-gotten] wealth.

11 His bones are full of his youth, but youth shall lie down with him in the dust.

[Now] his bones are full of his youthful vigor; but it will [suddenly] lie down with him in the dust.

12 "Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

If the evil be sweet in his mouth, he will conceal it under his tongue;

13 though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;

He will cherish it, and not forsake it; and hold it back within his palate;

14 yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.

His food is thus changed within his bowels, and becometh the venom of asps within him.

15 He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

The wealth which he hath swallowed, will he have to vomit up again; God will drive it out of his belly.

16 He shall suck cobra venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him.

The poison of asps will he have to suck; the viper's tongue will slay him.

17 He shall not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

He shall not look with pleasure on streams, on flowing brooks of honey and cream.

18 That for which he labored he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down. According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.

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.

19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

Because he oppressed and forsook the indigent; because he took violently away a house, shall he not rebuild it;

20 "Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save anything of that in which he delights.

Because he knew not quietness in his bosom, shall he not escape through what is the most precious to him.

21 There was nothing left that he did not devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

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

22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.

In the fulness of his abundance will distress assail him: every hand of [those he] troubled will come against him.

23 When he is about to fill his belly, he will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.

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.

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow shall strike him through.

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

25 He draws it forth, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.

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].

26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

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.

27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity. The earth shall rise up against him.

The heavens will lay open his iniquity; and the earth will raise herself up against him.

28 The increase of his house shall depart. They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.

The product of his house will be banished, flowing away on the day of his wrath.

29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God."

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and his decreed heritage from God.