איוב 20

1 ויען צפר הנעמתי ויאמר

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

2 לכן שעפי ישיבוני ובעבור חושי בי

“My thoughts make me answer quickly because of the worry that is in me.

3 מוסר כלמתי אשמע ורוח מבינתי יענני

I hear a rebuke that dishonors me, but a spirit from my understanding answers me.

4 הזאת ידעת מני-עד מני שים אדם עלי-ארץ

Do you not know this fact from ancient times, when God placed man on earth:

5 כי רננת רשעים מקרוב ושמחת חנף עדי-רגע

the triumph of a wicked man is short, and the joy of a godless man lasts only for a moment?

6 אם-יעלה לשמים שיאו וראשו לעב יגיע

Though his height reaches up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds,

7 כגללו לנצח יאבד ראיו יאמרו איו

yet such a person will perish permanently like his own feces; those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'

8 כחלום יעוף ולא ימצאהו וידד כחזיון לילה

He will fly away like a dream and will not be found; indeed, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

9 עין שזפתו ולא תוסיף ולא-עוד תשורנו מקומו

The eye that saw him will see him no more; his place will see him no longer.

10 בניו ירצו דלים וידיו תשבנה אונו

His children will apologize to poor people; his hands will have to give back his wealth.

11 עצמותיו מלאו עלומו ועמו על-עפר תשכב

His bones are full of youthful strength, but it will lie down with him in the dust.

12 אם-תמתיק בפיו רעה-- יכחידנה תחת לשנו

Although wickedness is sweet in his mouth, although he hides it under his tongue,

13 יחמל עליה ולא יעזבנה וימנענה בתוך חכו

although he holds it there and does not let it go but keeps it still in his mouth—

14 לחמו במעיו נהפך מרורת פתנים בקרבו

the food in his intestines turns bitter; it becomes the poison of asps inside him.

15 חיל בלע ויקאנו מבטנו ירשנו אל

He swallows down riches, but he will vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his stomach.

16 ראש-פתנים יינק תהרגהו לשון אפעה

He will suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue will kill him.

17 אל-ירא בפלגות-- נהרי נחלי דבש וחמאה

He will not enjoy the streams, the torrents of honey and butter.

18 משיב יגע ולא יבלע כחיל תמורתו ולא יעלס

He will give back the fruit of his labor and will not be able to eat it; he will not enjoy the wealth earned by his commerce.

19 כי-רצץ עזב דלים בית גזל ולא יבנהו

For he has oppressed and neglected poor people; he has violently taken away houses that he did not build.

20 כי לא-ידע שלו בבטנו בחמודו לא ימלט

Because he has known no satisfaction himself, he will not be able to save anything in which he takes pleasure.

21 אין-שריד לאכלו על-כן לא-יחיל טובו

There is nothing left that he did not devour; therefore his prosperity will not be permanent.

22 במלאות שפקו יצר לו כל-יד עמל תבאנו

In the abundance of his wealth he will fall into trouble; the hand of everyone who is in poverty will come against him.

23 יהי למלא בטנו--ישלח-בו חרון אפו וימטר עלימו בלחומו

When he is about to fill his stomach, God will throw the fierceness of his wrath on him; God will rain it down on him while he is eating.

24 יברח מנשק ברזל תחלפהו קשת נחושה

Although that man will flee from the iron weapon, a bow of bronze will shoot him.

25 שלף ויצא מגוה וברק ממררתו יהלך עליו אמים

He pulls it out of his back and the gleaming point comes out of his liver. Terrors come over him.

26 כל-חשך טמון לצפוניו תאכלהו אש לא-נפח ירע שריד באהלו

Complete darkness is reserved for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; it will consume what is left in his tent.

27 יגלו שמים עונו וארץ מתקוממה לו

The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him as a witness.

28 יגל יבול ביתו נגרות ביום אפו

The wealth of his house will vanish; his goods will flow away on the day of God's wrath.

29 זה חלק-אדם רשע--מאלהים ונחלת אמרו מאל

This is the wicked man's portion from God, the heritage reserved for him by God.”