Job 20

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and saide,

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 Doubtlesse my thoughts cause me to answere, and therefore I make haste.

I did not suppose that you would answer thus: neither do you understand more than I.

3 I haue heard the correction of my reproch: therefore the spirite of mine vnderstanding causeth me to answere.

I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.

4 Knowest thou not this of olde? and since God placed man vpon the earth,

Hast you [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?

5 That the reioycing of the wicked is short, and that the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment?

But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:

6 Though his excellencie mount vp to the heauen, and his head reache vnto the cloudes,

although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.

7 Yet shall hee perish for euer, like his dung, and they which haue seene him, shall say, Where is hee?

For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?

8 He shall flee away as a dreame, and they shall not finde him, and shall passe away as a vision of the night,

Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.

9 So that the eye which had seene him, shall do so no more, and his place shall see him no more.

The eye has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.

10 His children shall flatter the poore, and his hands shall restore his substance.

Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.

11 His bones are full of the sinne of his youth, and it shall lie downe with him in the dust.

His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 When wickednesse was sweete in his mouth, and he hid it vnder his tongue,

Though evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will hide it under his tongue;

13 And fauoured it, and would not forsake it, but kept it close in his mouth,

though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:

14 Then his meat in his bowels was turned: the gall of Aspes was in the middes of him.

yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.

15 He hath deuoured substance, and hee shall vomit it: for God shall drawe it out of his bellie.

[His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of wrath] shall drag him out of his house.

16 He shall sucke the gall of Aspes, and the vipers tongue shall slay him.

And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent's tongue kill him.

17 He shall not see the riuers, nor the floods and streames of honie and butter.

Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.

18 He shall restore the labour, and shall deuoure no more: euen according to the substance shalbe his exchange, and he shall enioy it no more.

He has laboured unprofitably and in vain, [for] wealth of which he shall not taste: [it is] as a lean thing, unfit for food, which he can’t swallow.

19 For he hath vndone many: he hath forsaken the poore, and hath spoyled houses which he builded not.

For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.

20 Surely he shall feele no quietnes in his bodie, neither shall he reserue of that which he desired.

There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.

21 There shall none of his meate bee left: therefore none shall hope for his goods.

There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.

22 When he shalbe filled with his abundance, he shalbe in paine, and the hand of all the wicked shall assaile him.

But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.

23 He shall be about to fill his belly, but God shall sende vpon him his fierce wrath, and shall cause to rayne vpon him, euen vpon his meate.

If by any means he would fill his belly, let [God] send upon him the fury of wrath; let him bring a torrent of pains upon him.

24 He shall flee from the yron weapons, and the bow of steele shall strike him through.

And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.

25 The arrowe is drawen out, and commeth forth of the body, and shineth of his gall, so feare commeth vpon him.

And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon him.

26 All darkenes shalbe hid in his secret places: the fire that is not blowen, shall deuoure him, and that which remaineth in his tabernacle, shalbe destroyed.

And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.

27 The heauen shall declare his wickednes, and the earth shall rise vp against him.

And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.

28 The increase of his house shall go away: it shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.

29 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage that he shall haue of God for his wordes.

This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].