Job 20
1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for [this] I make haste.
“My thoughts make me answer quickly because of the worry that is in me.
3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
I hear a rebuke that dishonors me, but a spirit from my understanding answers me.
4 Knowest thou [not] this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
Do you not know this fact from ancient times, when God placed man on earth:
5 That the triumphing of the wicked [is] short, and the joy of the hypocrite [but] for a moment?
the triumph of a wicked man is short, and the joy of a godless man lasts only for a moment?
6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
Though his height reaches up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds,
7 [Yet] he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where [is] he?
yet such a person will perish permanently like his own feces; those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'
8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
He will fly away like a dream and will not be found; indeed, he will be chased away 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 that saw him will see him no more; his place will see him no longer.
10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
His children will apologize to poor people; his hands will have to 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 youthful strength, but it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, [though] he hide it under his tongue;
Although wickedness is sweet in his mouth, although he hides it under his tongue,
13 [Though] he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
although he holds it there and does not let it go but keeps it still in his mouth—
14 [Yet] his meat in his bowels is turned, [it is] the gall of asps within him.
the food in his intestines turns bitter; it becomes the poison of asps inside him.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
He swallows down riches, but he will vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his stomach.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper’s tongue shall slay him.
He will suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue will kill him.
17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
He will not enjoy the streams, the torrents of honey and butter.
18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow [it] down: according to [his] substance [shall] the restitution [be], and he shall not rejoice [therein].
He will give back the fruit of his labor and will not be able to eat it; he will not enjoy the wealth earned by his commerce.
19 Because he hath oppressed [and] hath forsaken the poor; [because] he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
For he has oppressed and neglected poor people; he has violently taken away houses that he did not build.
20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
Because he has known no satisfaction himself, he will not be able to save anything in which he takes pleasure.
21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
There is nothing left that he did not devour; therefore his prosperity will not be permanent.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.
In the abundance of his wealth he will fall into trouble; the hand of everyone who is in poverty will come 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.
When he is about to fill his stomach, God will throw the fierceness of his wrath on him; God will rain it down on him while he is eating.
24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, [and] the bow of steel shall strike him through.
Although that man will flee from the iron weapon, a bow of bronze will shoot him.
25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors [are] upon him.
He pulls it out of his back and the gleaming point comes out of his liver. Terrors come over him.
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.
Complete darkness is reserved for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; it will consume what is left in his tent.
27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him as a witness.
28 The increase of his house shall depart, [and his goods] shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
The wealth of his house will vanish; his goods will flow away on the day of God's wrath.
29 This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.
This is the wicked man's portion from God, the heritage reserved for him by God.”
