Job 20

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,

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

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

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

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

4 Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on 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, the joy of the godless 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 height 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 will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will 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 will fly away as a dream, and will not be found. Yes, he will be chased away like 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 which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place see him any more.

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

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

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 his youth, but youth will 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 is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

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

13 though he spare it, and will not let it go, 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 cobra venom within him.

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

15 He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will 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 will suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue will kill him.

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

17 He will not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

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

18 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.

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

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

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

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

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, distress will overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on 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 will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on 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 will flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow will 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 He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on 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 is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire will devour him. It will consume that which is left in his tent.

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

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

28 The increase of his house will depart. They will rush 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, the heritage appointed to him by God.”

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