איוב 20

1 ויען צפר הנעמתי ויאמר׃

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2 לכן שעפי ישיבוני ובעבור חושי בי׃

“Therefore my thoughts answer me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.

3 מוסר כלמתי אשמע ורוח מבינתי יענני׃

I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.

4 הזאת ידעת מני עד מני שים אדם עלי ארץ׃

Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,

5 כי רננת רשעים מקרוב ושמחת חנף עדי רגע׃

that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?

6 אם יעלה לשמים שיאו וראשו לעב יגיע׃

Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,

7 כגללו לנצח יאבד ראיו יאמרו איו׃

yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8 כחלום יעוף ולא ימצאוהו וידד כחזיון לילה׃

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

9 עין שזפתו ולא תוסיף ולא עוד תשורנו מקומו׃

The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place see him any more.

10 בניו ירצו דלים וידיו תשבנה אונו׃

His children will seek the favor of the poor. His hands will give back his wealth.

11 עצמותיו מלאו עלומו ועמו על עפר תשכב׃

His bones are full of his youth, but youth will lie down with him in the dust.

12 אם תמתיק בפיו רעה יכחידנה תחת לשונו׃

“Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

13 יחמל עליה ולא יעזבנה וימנענה בתוך חכו׃

though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth,

14 לחמו במעיו נהפך מרורת פתנים בקרבו׃

yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.

15 חיל בלע ויקאנו מבטנו יורשנו אל׃

He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

16 ראש פתנים יינק תהרגהו לשון אפעה׃

He will suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue will kill him.

17 אל ירא בפלגות נהרי נחלי דבש וחמאה׃

He will not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

18 משיב יגע ולא יבלע כחיל תמורתו ולא יעלס׃

He will restore that for which he labored, and will not swallow it down. He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.

19 כי רצץ עזב דלים בית גזל ולא יבנהו׃

For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.

20 כי לא ידע שלו בבטנו בחמודו לא ימלט׃

“Because he knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights.

21 אין שריד לאכלו על כן לא יחיל טובו׃

There was nothing left that he didn’t devour, therefore his prosperity will not endure.

22 במלאות שפקו יצר לו כל יד עמל תבואנו׃

In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.

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

When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.

24 יברח מנשק ברזל תחלפהו קשת נחושה׃

He will flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow will strike him through.

25 שלף ויצא מגוה וברק ממררתו יהלך עליו אמים׃

He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.

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

All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire will devour him. It will consume that which is left in his tent.

27 יגלו שמים עונו וארץ מתקוממה לו׃

The heavens will reveal his iniquity. The earth will rise up against him.

28 יגל יבול ביתו נגרות ביום אפו׃

The increase of his house will depart. They will rush away in the day of his wrath.

29 זה חלק אדם רשע מאלהים ונחלת אמרו מאל׃

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”