Job 20

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for [this] I make haste.

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

3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

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

4 Knowest thou [not] this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

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

5 That the triumphing of the wicked [is] short, and the joy of the hypocrite [but] for a moment?

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

6 Though his excellence shall mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds;

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

7 [Yet] he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they who have seen him shall 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 shall fly away as a dream, and will not be found: yea, he shall be chased 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 also [which] saw him shall [see him] no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

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

10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

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

11 His bones are full [of the sin] of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

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

12 Though wickedness may be sweet in his mouth, [though] he may hide it under his tongue;

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

13 [Though] he may spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:

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

14 [Yet] his food in his bowels is turned, [it is] the gall of asps within him.

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

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

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

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

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

17 He shall not see the river, the floods, the brooks of honey and buttermilk.

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

18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow [it]: according to [his] substance [shall] the restitution [be], and he shall not rejoice [in it].

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 Because he hath oppressed [and] hath forsaken the poor; [because] he hath violently taken away a house which he did not build.

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

20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

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

21 There shall none of his food be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

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

22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

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

23 [When] he is about to fill his belly, [God] shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain [it] upon him while he is 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 shall flee from the iron weapon, [and] the bow of steel shall strike him through.

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

25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yes, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors [are] upon 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 [shall be] hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

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 heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

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

28 The increase of his house shall depart, [and his goods] shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

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 the heritage appointed to 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].