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 intellegentiae 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 adterentur 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 adulescentiae eius et cum eo in pulverem 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 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 cupierat 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 artabitur aestuabit et omnis dolor inruet in 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 inruet in arcum aereum
If he flee from the iron weapon, the brazen bow will strike him through.
25 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 adfligetur 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.
