Job 20

1 Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 I did not suppose that you would answer thus: neither do you understand more than I.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;

7 For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?

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

8 Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;

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

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

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

Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.

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

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

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

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

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

He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

18 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 can’t swallow.

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.

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

Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

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

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

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

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

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

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

23 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

26 And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.