Job 20

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2 For this do my thoughts lead me to reply, And for this is my ardor within me.

“Therefore my thoughts answer me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.

3 I have heard my shameful rebuke; And the spirit, from my understanding, answereth for me.

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

4 Knowest thou not, that from the days of old, From the time when man was placed upon the earth,

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

5 The triumphing of the wicked hath been short, And the joy of the impious but for a moment?

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

6 Though his greatness mount up to the heavens, And his head reach to the clouds,

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

7 Yet shall he perish for ever, and be mingled with dust; They who saw him shall say, Where is he?

yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8 He shall flee away like a dream, and shall not be found; Yea, he shall disappear like a vision of the nigh.

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

9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more, And his dwelling-place shall never more behold him.

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

10 His sons shall seek the favor of the poor, And their hands shall give back his wealth.

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

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

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

12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,

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

13 Though he cherish it, and will not part with it, And keep it fast in his mouth,

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

14 Yet his meat shall be changed within him, And become to him the poison of asps.

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

15 He hath glutted himself with riches, And he shall throw them up again; Yea, God shall cast them out of his body.

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

16 He shall suck the poison of asps; The tongue of the viper shall destroy him.

He will suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue will kill him.

17 He shall never see the flowing streams, And the rivers of honey and milk.

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

18 The fruits of his toil he shall give back, and shall not enjoy them: It is substance to be restored, and he shall not rejoice therein.

He will restore that for which he labored, and will not swallow it down. He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.

19 Because he hath oppressed and abandoned the poor, And seized upon the house which he did not build;

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

20 Because he knew no rest in his bosom, He shall not save that in which he delighteth.

“Because he knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights.

21 Because nothing escaped his greediness, His prosperity shall not endure.

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

22 In the fulness of his abundance he shall be brought low; Every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.

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

23 He shall, indeed, have wherewith to fill himself: God shall send upon him the fury of his anger, And rain it down upon him for his food.

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

24 If he fleeth from the iron weapon, The bow of brass shall pierce him through.

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

25 He draweth the arrow, and it cometh forth from his body; Yea, the glittering steel cometh out of his gall. Terrors are upon him;

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

26 Calamity of every kind is treasured up for him. A fire not blown shall consume him; It shall consume whatever is left in his tent.

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

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

The heavens will reveal his iniquity. The earth will rise up against him.

28 The substance of his house shall disappear; It shall flow away in the day of His wrath.

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

29 Such is the portion of the wicked man from God, And the inheritance appointed for him by the Almighty.

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