Job 20
1 Then responded Zophar the Naamathite, and said: —
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
2 Not so, do my thoughts answer me, and to this end, is my haste within me:
“I'm forced to reply because I'm really upset!
3 The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit—out of my understanding, will give me a reply.
What I hear you say insults me, but I know how to reply to you!
4 Knowest thou, this—from antiquity, from the placing of man upon earth: —
Don't you know that since ancient times, since human beings were put on this earth,
5 That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?
that the triumph of the wicked doesn't last long, that those who reject God are only happy for a short time?
6 Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, and, his head, to the clouds, doth reach,
Even though they are so tall they reach the heavens, even though their heads reach the clouds,
7 Like his own stubble, shall he utterly perish, They who had seen him, shall say, Where is he?
they will vanish forever like their own excrement. People who knew them will ask, ‘Where have they gone?’
8 Like a dream, shall he fly away, and they shall not find him, yea he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night.
They will vanish like a dream, never to be found, fleeing like a vision of the night.
9 The eye that hath scanned him, shall not do it again, neither, any more, shall his place behold him:
Those who once saw them will not see them anymore; their families will never set eyes on them again.
10 His children, shall seek the favour of the poor, and, his own hand, shall give back his wealth.
Their children will have to pay back the poor; they will have to return their wealth.
11 His bones, are full of youthful vigour, yet, with him—in the dust, shall it lie down.
Though the wicked have bodies that are young and strong, they will die and be buried.
12 Though, a sweet taste in his mouth, be given by vice, though he hide it under his tongue;
Though evil tastes sweet in their mouths and they hide it under their tongues,
13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,
not letting it go but keeping it in their mouths,
14 His food, in his stomach, is changed, the gall of adders, within him!
in their stomachs it turns bitter, becoming like snake venom inside them.
15 Wealth, hath he swallowed, and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly, shall, GOD, drive it forth:
They swallow wealth and vomit it up again; God forces it from their stomachs.
16 The poison of adders, shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;
They suck in snake venom; the bite of the viper will kill them.
17 Let him not see in the channels the flowings of torrents of honey and milk.
They will not live to enjoy the streams, the rivers of milk and honey.
18 In vain, he toiled, he shall not swallow, like wealth to be restored, in which he cannot exult!
They will have to give back what they have gained and will not have any benefit; they will not enjoy any of their profits.
19 For he hath oppressed—hath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.
For they have oppressed and abandoned the poor; they have seized houses they did not build.
20 Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind, —With his dearest thing, shall he not get away:
Because their greed was never satisfied, nothing they liked is left that they didn't consume.
21 Nothing escaped his devouring greed, —For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:
Nothing escapes their ravenous appetites, so their happiness doesn't last long.
22 When his abundance is gone, he shall be in straits, All the power of distress, shall come upon him.
Even when the wicked have all that they want they run into trouble; all kinds of misery will fall upon them.
23 It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain [it] upon him for his punishment.
While they are busy filling their bellies, God's hostility will burn against them, raining down on them.
24 He shall flee from the armour of iron, —There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!
As they flee to escape an iron weapon, a bronze arrow will strike them down.
25 He hath drawn it out, and it hath come forth out of his back, —yea the flashing arrow-head, out of his gall, There shall march on him—terrors:
The arrow is pulled out of their gall bladder, glistening with blood. They are absolutely terrified!
26 Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures, —There shall consume, a fire, not blown up, —it shall destroy what remaineth in his tent:
All they value will disappear into the darkness; divine fire will destroy them; all they have left will go up in smoke.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and, the earth, be rising up against him:
The heavens reveal what they have done wrong; the earth will rise up against them.
28 The increase of his house shall vanish, melting away in the day of his anger.
All their possessions will be carried from their homes; they will be dragged off on the day of God's judgment.
29 This, is the portion of the lawless man, from God, and the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.
This is the share the wicked receive from God, the inheritance God says they should have.”
