Job 20
1 And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —
And Zophar the Naamathite answers and says:
2 Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.
“Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.
3 The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:
I hear the discipline of my shame, And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer:
4 This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?
Have you known this from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?
5 That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,
That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,
6 Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike —
Though his excellence goes up to the heavens, He strikes his head against a cloud—
7 As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: 'Where [is] he?'
He perishes as his own dung forever, His beholders 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,
He flees as a dream, and they do not find him, And he is driven away as 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 not seen him, and does not add. And his place does not behold him again.
10 His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.
His sons oppress the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.
11 His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.
His bones have been full of his youth, and it lies down with him on the dust.
12 Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,
Though he sweetens evil in his mouth, hides it under his tongue,
13 Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,
has pity on it, and does not forsake it, and keeps it back in the midst of his palate,
14 His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart.
his food is turned in his bowels, the bitterness of cobras [is] in his heart.
15 Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.
He has swallowed wealth, and vomits it. God drives it out from his belly.
16 Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.
He sucks [the] gall of cobras, the tongue of a viper slays him.
17 He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.
He does not look on streams, Flowing of brooks 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 is giving back [what] he labored for, and does not consume [it]; As a bulwark [is] his exchange, and he does not exult.
19 For he oppressed — he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.
For he oppressed—he forsook the poor, He has taken a house away violently, And he does not build it.
20 For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.
For he has not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he does not deliver himself.
21 There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.
There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good does not stay.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.
In the fullness of his sufficiency he is constricted. Every perverse hand meets 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.
It comes to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sends forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Indeed, He rains on him in his eating.
24 He fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.
He flees from an iron weapon, A bow of bronze passes through him.
25 One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him [are] terrors.
One has drawn, And it comes out from the body, And a glittering weapon proceeds from his gall. Terrors [are] on him.
26 All darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.
All darkness is hid for his treasures, A fire not blown consumes him, The remnant is broken in his tent.
27 Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.
The heavens reveal his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.
28 Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.
The increase of his house is removed, Poured forth in a day of His anger.
29 This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.
This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.”
