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Job 20
New King James Version
Job 20
New King James Version
Zophar’s Sermon on the Wicked Man
20 Then (A)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer,
Because of the turmoil within me.
3 I have heard the rebuke [a]that reproaches me,
And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
4 “Do you not know this of (B)old,
Since man was placed on earth,
5 (C)That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a (D)moment?
6 (E)Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens,
And his head reaches to the clouds,
7 Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away (F)like a dream, and not be found;
Yes, he (G)will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,
Nor will his place behold him anymore.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
And his hands will restore his wealth.
11 His bones are full of (H)his youthful vigor,
(I)But it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he spares it and does not forsake it,
But still keeps it in his [b]mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach turns sour;
It becomes cobra venom within him.
15 He swallows down riches
And vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue will slay him.
17 He will not see (J)the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 He will restore that for which he labored,
And will not swallow it down;
From the proceeds of business
He will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has [c]oppressed and forsaken the poor,
He has violently seized a house which he did not build.
20 “Because(K) he knows no quietness in his [d]heart,
He will not save anything he desires.
21 Nothing is left for him to eat;
Therefore his well-being will not last.
22 In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress;
Every hand of [e]misery will come against him.
23 When he is about to fill his stomach,
God will cast on him the fury of His wrath,
And will rain it on him while he is eating.
24 (L)He will flee from the iron weapon;
A bronze bow will pierce him through.
25 It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
Yes, (M)the glittering point comes out of his [f]gall.
(N)Terrors come upon him;
26 Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.
(O)An unfanned fire will consume him;
It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house will depart,
And his goods will flow away in the day of His (P)wrath.
29 (Q)This is the portion from God for a wicked man,
The heritage appointed to him by God.”
Job 20
New American Standard Bible
Job 20
New American Standard Bible
Zophar Says the Rejoicing of the Wicked Is Short
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,
2 “Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me [a]respond,
Even because of my [b]inward agitation.
3 I listened to (A)the reprimand which insults me,
And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
4 Do you know this from (B)ancient times,
From the establishment of mankind on earth,
5 That the (C)rejoicing of the wicked is short,
And (D)the joy of the godless momentary?
6 Though his arrogance [c](E)reaches the heavens,
And his head touches the clouds,
7 He (F)perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him (G)will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He flies away like a (H)dream, and they cannot find him;
Like a vision of the night he is (I)chased away.
9 The (J)eye which saw him sees him no longer,
And (K)his place no longer beholds him.
10 His (L)sons [d]favor the poor,
And his hands (M)give back his wealth.
11 His (N)bones are full of his youthful strength,
But it lies down with him [e]in the dust.
12 “Though (O)evil tastes sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he [f]desires it and will not let it go,
But holds it (P)in his [g]mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach is changed
To the [h]venom of cobras within him.
15 He swallows riches,
But will (Q)vomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.
16 He sucks (R)the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue kills him.
17 He does not look at (S)the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
18 He (T)returns the product of his labor
And cannot swallow it;
As to the riches of his trading,
He cannot even enjoy them.
19 For he has (U)oppressed and neglected the poor;
He has seized a house which he has not built.
20 “Because he knew no quiet [i]within him,
He does (V)not retain anything he desires.
21 Nothing remains [j]for him to devour,
Therefore (W)his prosperity does not endure.
22 In the fullness of his excess he will be cramped;
The (X)hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.
23 When he (Y)fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And (Z)rain it on him [k]while he is eating.
24 He may (AA)flee from the iron weapon,
But the bronze bow will pierce him.
25 It is drawn and comes out of his back,
Even the flashing point from (AB)his gallbladder;
(AC)Terrors come upon him,
26 Complete (AD)darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,
And unfanned (AE)fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.
27 The (AF)heavens will reveal his guilt,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 The (AG)increase of his house will disappear;
His possessions will flow away (AH)on the day of His anger.
29 This is a wicked person’s (AI)portion from God,
The inheritance decreed to him by God.”
Job 20
Amplified Bible
Job 20
Amplified Bible
Zophar Says, “The Triumph of the Wicked Is Short”
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
2
“Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me answer,
Because of the uneasiness that is within me.
3
“I have heard the reproof which insults me,
But the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
4
“Do you not know this from the old days,
Since the time that man was placed on the earth,
5
That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless is only for a moment?(A)
6
“Though his pride reaches the heavens
And his head touches the clouds,
7
Yet he perishes forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8
“He flies away like a dream and cannot be found;
Yes, he is chased away like a vision of the night.
9
“The eye which saw him sees him no longer,
Neither does his [accustomed] place behold him any longer.
10
“His sons favor the poor [and pay his obligations],
And his hands give back his [ill-gotten] wealth.
11
“His bones are full of youthful strength
But it lies down with him in the dust.
12
“Though evil and wickedness are sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,
13
Though he desires it and will not let it go
But holds it in his mouth,
14
Yet his food turns [to poison] in his stomach;
It is the venom of vipers within him.
15
“He swallows [his ill-gotten] riches,
But will vomit them up;
God will drive them out of his belly.
16
“He sucks the poison of vipers [which ill-gotten wealth contains];
The viper’s tongue slays him.
17
“He does not look at the rivers,
The flowing streams of honey and butter [to enjoy his wealth].
18
“He gives back what he has labored for and attained
And cannot swallow it [down to enjoy it];
As to the riches of his labor,
He cannot even enjoy them.
19
“For he has oppressed and neglected the poor;
He has violently taken away houses which he did not build.
20
“Because he knew no quietness or calm within him [because of his greed],
He does not retain anything he desires.
21
“There is nothing left of what he devoured;
Therefore his prosperity does not endure.
22
“In the fullness of his excess (great abundance) he will be in trouble;
The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him [he is miserable on every side].
23
“When he fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And will rain it upon him while he is eating.(B)
24
“He may flee from the iron weapon,
But the bow of bronze will pierce him through.
25
“The arrow is drawn forth and it comes out of his back [after passing through his body];
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall.
Terrors march in upon him;
26
Complete darkness (misfortune) is held in reserve for his treasures.
An unfanned fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.
27
“The heavens will reveal his wickedness and guilt,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28
“The produce and increase of his house will depart [with the victors];
His possessions will be dragged away in the day of God’s wrath.
29
“This is the wicked man’s portion from God,
And the heritage decreed and appointed to him by God.”
Job 20
New International Version
Job 20
New International Version
Zophar
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:
2 “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.(B)
3 I hear a rebuke(C) that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4 “Surely you know how it has been from of old,(D)
ever since mankind[a] was placed on the earth,
5 that the mirth of the wicked(E) is brief,
the joy of the godless(F) lasts but a moment.(G)
6 Though the pride(H) of the godless person reaches to the heavens(I)
and his head touches the clouds,(J)
7 he will perish forever,(K) like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’(L)
8 Like a dream(M) he flies away,(N) no more to be found,
banished(O) like a vision of the night.(P)
9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.(Q)
10 His children(R) must make amends to the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.(S)
11 The youthful vigor(T) that fills his bones(U)
will lie with him in the dust.(V)
12 “Though evil(W) is sweet in his mouth
and he hides it under his tongue,(X)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
and lets it linger in his mouth,(Y)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;(Z)
it will become the venom of serpents(AA) within him.
15 He will spit out the riches(AB) he swallowed;
God will make his stomach vomit(AC) them up.
16 He will suck the poison(AD) of serpents;
the fangs of an adder will kill him.(AE)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers(AF) flowing with honey(AG) and cream.(AH)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;(AI)
he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.(AJ)
19 For he has oppressed the poor(AK) and left them destitute;(AL)
he has seized houses(AM) he did not build.
20 “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;(AN)
he cannot save himself by his treasure.(AO)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
his prosperity will not endure.(AP)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;(AQ)
the full force of misery will come upon him.(AR)
23 When he has filled his belly,(AS)
God will vent his burning anger(AT) against him
and rain down his blows on him.(AU)
24 Though he flees(AV) from an iron weapon,
a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.(AW)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors(AX) will come over him;(AY)
26 total darkness(AZ) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire(BA) unfanned will consume him(BB)
and devour what is left in his tent.(BC)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
the earth will rise up against him.(BD)
28 A flood will carry off his house,(BE)
rushing waters[b] on the day of God’s wrath.(BF)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God.”(BG)
Job 20
King James Version
Job 20
King James Version
20 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
4 Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall 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.
9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.
17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks 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.
19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon 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.
24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon 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.
27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
28 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 a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.