Job 20

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,

2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for [this] I make haste.

For this cause my thoughts are troubling me and driving me on.

3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.

4 Knowest thou [not] this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,

5 That the triumphing of the wicked [is] short, and the joy of the hypocrite [but] for a moment?

That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?

6 Though his excellence shall mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds;

Though he is lifted up to the heavens, and his head goes up to the clouds;

7 [Yet] he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they who have seen him shall say, Where [is] he?

Like the waste from his body he comes to an end for ever: those who have seen him say, Where is he?

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and will not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

He is gone like a dream, and is not seen again; he goes in flight like a vision of the night.

9 The eye also [which] saw him shall [see him] no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

The eye which saw him sees him no longer; and his place has no more knowledge of him.

10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

His children are hoping that the poor will be kind to them, and his hands give back his wealth.

11 His bones are full [of the sin] of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.

12 Though wickedness may be sweet in his mouth, [though] he may hide it under his tongue;

Though evil-doing is sweet in his mouth, and he keeps it secretly under his tongue;

13 [Though] he may spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:

Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;

14 [Yet] his food in his bowels is turned, [it is] the gall of asps within him.

His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.

15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God.

16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.

He takes the poison of snakes into his mouth, the tongue of the snake is the cause of his death.

17 He shall not see the river, the floods, the brooks of honey and buttermilk.

Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.

18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow [it]: according to [his] substance [shall] the restitution [be], and he shall not rejoice [in it].

He is forced to give back the fruit of his work, and may not take it for food; he has no joy in the profit of his trading.

19 Because he hath oppressed [and] hath forsaken the poor; [because] he hath violently taken away a house which he did not build.

Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;

20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

There is no peace for him in his wealth, and no salvation for him in those things in which he took delight.

21 There shall none of his food be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.

22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.

23 [When] he is about to fill his belly, [God] shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain [it] upon him while he is eating.

God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, [and] the bow of steel shall strike him through.

He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;

25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yes, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors [are] upon him.

He is pulling it out, and it comes out of his back; and its shining point comes out of his side; he is overcome by fears.

26 All darkness [shall be] hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

All his wealth is stored up for the dark: a fire not made by man sends destruction on him, and on everything in his tent.

27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

The heavens make clear his sin, and the earth gives witness against him.

28 The increase of his house shall depart, [and his goods] shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

The produce of his house is taken away into another country, like things given into the hands of others in the day of wrath.

29 This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.

This is the reward of the evil man, and the heritage given to him by God.