Job 20

1 Then Zophar replied,

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 “I am very perturbed about what you have said, so I want to reply very quickly.

I did not suppose that thou wouldest answer thus: neither do ye understand more than I.

3 By saying these things you have insulted me, but I know how (OR, because I understand very much) I can reply to you.

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

4 “Do you not know that from long ago, ever since people were first put on the earth,

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

5 wicked people [like you] do not continue to rejoice for a long time, ungodly people are happy only for a (moment/very short time) [HYP]?

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

6 [Even] though their reputation/pride reaches up to the sky and their fame goes up as high as the clouds,

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

7 they will disappear forever, like their own dung, and those who knew them will ask, ‘(Where did they go/What happened to them)?’

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 They will be forgotten like [SIM] a dream is, and they will exist no more. They will vanish, like visions [that people see] during 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 Those who saw those people previously will never see them again; even their families [MTY] will not see them any more.

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

10 Their children will be forced to return the valuable things that those children stole from poor people [DOU].

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

11 Previously their bodies were young and strong, but they will die and [their bodies will] be buried in the ground.

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

12 “Doing wicked things was like having sweet food in their mouths, and they wanted to continue to taste it.

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

13 And they did not want to stop doing those things,

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

14 [but some day] the evil things that they enjoyed doing will become like food [that they swallow] [and which becomes] as bitter as snake venom.

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

15 Wicked people will not continue to keep the money they have accumulated, like people do not keep the food that they vomit. God takes their wealth from them.

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

16 What wicked people do is [like] [MET] swallowing snake venom; it will kill them like [MET] the bite of a poisonous snake kills people.

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

17 They will not remain alive to see abundant blessings [IDM] [from God], milk and olive oil and honey, that are [so abundant they are] like [MET] a stream that flows by.

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

18 They will be forced to give back the things that they stole from the poor; they will not be able to continue to enjoy those things. They will not remain happy because of what they got from their businesses,

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 cannot swallow.

19 because they oppressed poor people and refused to help them, and they took other people’s houses [by cheating them].

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

20 “They were always greedy and never satisfied. They just keep dreaming about owning more and more things.

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

21 When they finished eating their food, there was never anything left over [because they had greedily eaten it all]; but now their prosperity will end.

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

22 When they are extremely prosperous/wealthy, they will suddenly experience a lot of trouble. (Misery will strike them and crush them [PRS]/They will suffer very greatly).

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

23 When the wicked people are filling their stomachs, God will show that he is very angry with them and punish them; the punishment [that he gives them] will be like [MET] rain falling on them.

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 They will try to escape from [being killed by] iron weapons, but arrows with bronze points will pierce them.

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

25 The arrows will [go completely through their bodies and] stick out of their backs; the shiny points of the arrows will have blood dripping from them, and those wicked people will be terrified.

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

26 Their valuable possessions will all be destroyed; a fire that is not lit by humans, [but by God, ] will burn them up and also destroy the things that are left in their tents.

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 [angels in] heaven [MTY] will reveal the sins that those wicked people have committed, and [people on] earth will stand up and testify against them.

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

28 When God punishes [MTY] [people], all the possessions in the wicked people’s houses will be carried away by a flood.

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

29 That is what will happen to wicked people [like you]; that is what God has decided will happen to them.”

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