Job 20
1 Respondens autem Sophar Naamathites, dixit:
And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
2 Idcirco cogitationes meae variae succedunt sibi, et mens in diversa rapitur.
Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.
3 Doctrinam, qua me arguis, audiam, et spiritus intelligentiae meae respondebit mihi.
I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.
4 Hoc scio a principio, ex quo positus est homo super terram,
Knowest thou [not] this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,
5 Quod laus impiorum brevis sit, et gaudium hypocritae ad instar puncti.
The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?
6 Si ascenderit usque ad caelum superbia eius, et caput eius nubes tetigerit:
Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds,
7 Quasi sterquilinium in fine perdetur: et qui eum viderant, dicent: Ubi est?
Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8 Velut somnium avolans non invenietur, transiet sicut visio nocturna.
He flieth away as a dream, and is not found; and is chased away as a vision of the night.
9 Oculus, qui eum viderat, non videbit, neque ultra intuebitur eum locus suus.
The eye which saw him shall [see him] not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.
10 Filii eius atterentur egestate, et manus illius reddent ei dolorem suum.
His children shall seek the favour of the poor, and his hands restore his wealth.
11 Ossa eius implebuntur vitiis adolescentiae eius, et cum eo in pulvere dormient.
His bones were full of his youthful strength; but it shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 Cum enim dulce fuerit in ore eius malum, abscondet illud sub lingua sua.
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth [and] he hide it under his tongue,
13 Parcet illi, et non derelinquet illud, et celabit in gutture suo.
[Though] he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it within his mouth,
14 Panis eius in utero illius vertetur in fel aspidum intrinsecus.
His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.
15 Divitias, quas devoravit, evomet, et de ventre illius extrahet eas Deus.
He hath swallowed down riches, but he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
16 Caput aspidum suget, et occidet eum lingua viperae.
He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall kill him.
17 (Non videat rivulos fluminis, torrentes mellis, et butyri.)
He shall not see streams, rivers, brooks of honey and butter.
18 Luet quae fecit omnia, nec tamen consumetur: iuxta multitudinem adinventionum suarum, sic et sustinebit.
That which he laboured for shall he restore, and not swallow down; its restitution shall be according to the value, and he shall not rejoice [therein].
19 Quoniam confringens nudavit pauperes: domum rapuit, et non aedificavit eam.
For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.
20 Nec est satiatus venter eius: et cum habuerit quae concupierat, possidere non poterit.
Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.
21 Non remansit de cibo eius, et propterea nihil permanebit de bonis eius.
Nothing escaped his greediness; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22 Cum satiatus fuerit, arctabitur, aestuabit, et omnis dolor irruet super eum.
In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.
23 Utinam impleatur venter eius, ut emittat in eum iram furoris sui, et pluat super illum bellum suum.
It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will cast his fierce anger upon him, and will rain it upon him into his flesh.
24 Fugiet arma ferrea, et irruet in arcum aereum.
If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25 Gladius eductus, et egrediens de vagina sua, et fulgurans in amaritudine sua: vadent, et venient super eum horribiles.
He draweth it forth; it cometh out of his body, and the glittering point out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
26 Omnes tenebrae absconditae sunt in occultis eius: devorabit eum ignis, qui non succenditur, affligetur relictus in tabernaculo suo.
All darkness is laid up for his treasures: a fire not blown shall devour him; it shall feed upon what is left in his tent.
27 Revelabunt caeli iniquitatem eius, et terra consurget adversus eum.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.
28 Apertum erit germen domus illius, detrahetur in die furoris Dei.
The increase of his house shall depart, flowing away in the day of his anger.
29 Haec est pars hominis impii a Deo, et hereditas verborum eius a Domino.
This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.
