Job 20

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:

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

Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of mine agitation 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 putteth me to shame, but out of my understanding my spirit answereth me.

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

Knowest thou not this of old time, since man was placed upon 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, and 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 excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto 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 shall perish for ever like his own dung; they that have seen him shall 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 shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found; yea, he shall be chased away as 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 shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

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

His children shall appease the poor, and his hands shall restore 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 it shall lie down with him in the dust.

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

Though wickedness be 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 the gall of asps 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 hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God shall cast them out of his belly.

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

He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall slay him.

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

He shall not look upon the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and curd.

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.

That which he laboured for shall he give back, and shall not swallow it down; according to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.

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

For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house, and he shall 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, in his greed he suffered nought to escape,

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

There was nothing left that he devoured not — therefore his prosperity shall 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 fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; the hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon 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.

It shall be for the filling of his belly; He shall cast the fierceness of His wrath upon him, and shall cause it to rain upon him into his flesh.

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

If he flee from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall 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 draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall; terrors are upon 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; a fire not blown by man shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tent.

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

The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall 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 shall depart, his goods shall flow 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, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.