Job 20
1 Respondens autem Sophar Naamathites, dixit:
Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said,
2 Idcirco cogitationes meae variae succedunt sibi, et mens in diversa rapitur.
Even therefore do my inmost thoughts give me an answer, and for this reason do I feel a strong excitement within me.
3 Doctrinam, qua me arguis, audiam, et spiritus intelligentiae meae respondebit mihi.
Reproof which casteth shame on me must I hear; yet out of my understanding will the spirit give me an answer.
4 Hoc scio a principio, ex quo positus est homo super terram,
Dost thou know this? from the very beginning of things, from the very time when man was placed upon earth it was,
5 Quod laus impiorum brevis sit, et gaudium hypocritae ad instar puncti.
That the triumphal shouting of the wicked is ever of but a recent date, and the joy of the hypocrite endureth only for a moment.
6 Si ascenderit usque ad caelum superbia eius, et caput eius nubes tetigerit:
Though his exaltation should mount up to the heavens, and his head should reach unto the clouds;
7 Quasi sterquilinium in fine perdetur: et qui eum viderant, dicent: Ubi est?
Yet when he but turneth round will he vanish for ever; those who have seen him will say, Where is he?
8 Velut somnium avolans non invenietur, transiet sicut visio nocturna.
Like a dream will he fly away, and men will find him no more; yea, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 Oculus, qui eum viderat, non videbit, neque ultra intuebitur eum locus suus.
If an eye have surveyed him, it will not do so again, and it will not behold him any more in his place.
10 Filii eius atterentur egestate, et manus illius reddent ei dolorem suum.
His children will suffer oppression from the indigent, and his hands will have to restore his [ill-gotten] wealth.
11 Ossa eius implebuntur vitiis adolescentiae eius, et cum eo in pulvere dormient.
[Now] his bones are full of his youthful vigor; but it will [suddenly] lie down with him in the dust.
12 Cum enim dulce fuerit in ore eius malum, abscondet illud sub lingua sua.
If the evil be sweet in his mouth, he will conceal it under his tongue;
13 Parcet illi, et non derelinquet illud, et celabit in gutture suo.
He will cherish it, and not forsake it; and hold it back within his palate;
14 Panis eius in utero illius vertetur in fel aspidum intrinsecus.
His food is thus changed within his bowels, and becometh the venom of asps within him.
15 Divitias, quas devoravit, evomet, et de ventre illius extrahet eas Deus.
The wealth which he hath swallowed, will he have to vomit up again; God will drive it out of his belly.
16 Caput aspidum suget, et occidet eum lingua viperae.
The poison of asps will he have to suck; the viper's tongue will slay him.
17 (Non videat rivulos fluminis, torrentes mellis, et butyri.)
He shall not look with pleasure on streams, on flowing brooks of honey and cream.
18 Luet quae fecit omnia, nec tamen consumetur: iuxta multitudinem adinventionum suarum, sic et sustinebit.
He restoreth what he hath labored for, and will not swallow it down; however much he may have obtained by toil, he will not have any joy of it.
19 Quoniam confringens nudavit pauperes: domum rapuit, et non aedificavit eam.
Because he oppressed and forsook the indigent; because he took violently away a house, shall he not rebuild it;
20 Nec est satiatus venter eius: et cum habuerit quae concupierat, possidere non poterit.
Because he knew not quietness in his bosom, shall he not escape through what is the most precious to him.
21 Non remansit de cibo eius, et propterea nihil permanebit de bonis eius.
Nothing was spared from his craving to eat: therefore shall his wealth not prosper.
22 Cum satiatus fuerit, arctabitur, aestuabit, et omnis dolor irruet super eum.
In the fulness of his abundance will distress assail him: every hand of [those he] troubled will come against him.
23 Utinam impleatur venter eius, ut emittat in eum iram furoris sui, et pluat super illum bellum suum.
In order to fill his belly, [God] will send out against him the fury of his wrath, and will rain it upon him for his eating.
24 Fugiet arma ferrea, et irruet in arcum aereum.
If he flee from the iron weapon, the brazen bow will 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, and it cometh out of the body; yea, out of his gall the glittering [arrow] cometh forth: over him come the terrors [of death].
26 Omnes tenebrae absconditae sunt in occultis eius: devorabit eum ignis, qui non succenditur, affligetur relictus in tabernaculo suo.
Entire darkness is laid by for his treasures: a fire not urged by blowing will consume him; it will destroy any one that is left in his tent.
27 Revelabunt caeli iniquitatem eius, et terra consurget adversus eum.
The heavens will lay open his iniquity; and the earth will raise herself up against him.
28 Apertum erit germen domus illius, detrahetur in die furoris Dei.
The product of his house will be banished, flowing away on the day of his wrath.
29 Haec est pars hominis impii a Deo, et hereditas verborum eius a Domino.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and his decreed heritage from God.
