Job 20

1 And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.

I did not suppose that you would answer thus: neither do you understand more than I.

3 The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:

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

4 This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?

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

5 That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

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

6 Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike —

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

7 As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders 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 As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven 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 hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.

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

10 His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.

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

11 His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

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

12 Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,

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

13 Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,

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

14 His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart.

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

15 Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.

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

16 Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.

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

17 He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.

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

18 He is giving back [what] he laboured for, And doth not consume [it]; As a bulwark [is] his exchange, and he exults not.

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 can’t swallow.

19 For he oppressed — he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.

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

20 For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.

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

21 There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.

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

22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.

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

23 It cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his 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 fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.

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

25 One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him [are] terrors.

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 is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.

And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.

27 Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.

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

28 Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.

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 an inheritance appointed 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].