Job 20

1 Then responded Zophar the Naamathite, and said: —

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2 Not so, do my thoughts answer me, and to this end, is my haste within me:

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

3 The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit—out of my understanding, will give me a reply.

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

4 Knowest thou, this—from antiquity, from the placing of man upon earth: —

Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,

5 That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?

that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?

6 Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, and, his head, to the clouds, doth reach,

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

7 Like his own stubble, shall he utterly perish, They who had seen him, shall say, Where is he?

yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8 Like a dream, shall he fly away, and they shall not find him, yea he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night.

He will fly away as a dream, and will not be found. Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

9 The eye that hath scanned him, shall not do it again, neither, any more, shall his place behold him:

The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place see him any more.

10 His children, shall seek the favour of the poor, and, his own hand, shall give back his wealth.

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

11 His bones, are full of youthful vigour, yet, with him—in the dust, shall it lie down.

His bones are full of his youth, but youth will lie down with him in the dust.

12 Though, a sweet taste in his mouth, be given by vice, though he hide it under his tongue;

“Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,

though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth,

14 His food, in his stomach, is changed, the gall of adders, within him!

yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.

15 Wealth, hath he swallowed, and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly, shall, GOD, drive it forth:

He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

16 The poison of adders, shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;

He will suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue will kill him.

17 Let him not see in the channels the flowings of torrents of honey and milk.

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

18 In vain, he toiled, he shall not swallow, like wealth to be restored, in which he cannot exult!

He will restore that for which he labored, and will not swallow it down. He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.

19 For he hath oppressed—hath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.

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

20 Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind, —With his dearest thing, shall he not get away:

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

21 Nothing escaped his devouring greed, —For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:

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

22 When his abundance is gone, he shall be in straits, All the power of distress, shall come upon him.

In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.

23 It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain [it] upon him for his punishment.

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.

24 He shall flee from the armour of iron, —There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!

He will flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow will strike him through.

25 He hath drawn it out, and it hath come forth out of his back, —yea the flashing arrow-head, out of his gall, There shall march on him—terrors:

He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.

26 Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures, —There shall consume, a fire, not blown up, —it shall destroy what remaineth in his tent:

All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire will devour him. It will consume that which is left in his tent.

27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and, the earth, be rising up against him:

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

28 The increase of his house shall vanish, melting away in the day of his anger.

The increase of his house will depart. They will rush away in the day of his wrath.

29 This, is the portion of the lawless man, from God, and the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.

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