Job 20

1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.

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

3 I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.

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

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

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

5 The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?

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

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

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

7 Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

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 flieth away as a dream, and is not found; and is chased 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 The eye which saw him shall [see him] not again; and his place beholdeth 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 seek the favour of the poor, and his hands restore his wealth.

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

11 His bones were full of his youthful strength; but it shall lie down 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 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth [and] he hide it under his tongue,

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

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

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

14 His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.

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

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

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

16 He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall kill him.

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

17 He shall not see streams, rivers, brooks of honey and butter.

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

18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and not swallow down; its restitution shall be according to the value, and he shall not rejoice [therein].

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 For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.

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

20 Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.

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

21 Nothing escaped his greediness; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

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

22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.

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

23 It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will cast his fierce anger upon him, and will rain it upon him into his flesh.

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 If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.

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

25 He draweth it forth; it cometh out of his body, and the glittering point out of his gall: terrors are upon 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 darkness is laid up for his treasures: a fire not blown shall devour him; it shall feed upon what is left in his tent.

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 heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.

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

28 The increase of his house shall depart, flowing away in the day of his anger.

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 appointed to him by God.

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