Job 20

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and saide,

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will 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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He will not look at the rivers, the flowing streams 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 will restore that for which he laboured, and will not swallow it down. He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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 a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”