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Zophar Speaks: The Wicked Will Suffer

20 Then (A)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Therefore my (B)thoughts answer me,
    because of my haste within me.
I hear censure that insults me,
    and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
Do you not know this from of old,
    (C)since man was placed on earth,
(D)that the exulting of the wicked is short,
    and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
(E)Though his height mount up to the heavens,
    and his head reach to the clouds,
he will perish for ever like his own (F)dung;
    those who have seen him will say, (G)‘Where is he?’
He will fly away like (H)a dream and not be found;
    he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
(I)The eye that saw him will see him no more,
    nor will his place any more behold him.
10 His children will seek the favour of the poor,
    and his hands will (J)give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his (K)youthful vigour,
    but it will lie (L)down with him in the dust.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
    though he hides it (M)under his tongue,
13 though he is loath to let it go
    and holds it in his mouth,
14 yet his food is turned in his stomach;
    it is the venom of (N)cobras 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;
    (O)the tongue of a viper will kill him.
17 He will not look upon (P)the rivers,
    the streams flowing with (Q)honey and (R)curds.
18 He will (S)give back the fruit of his toil
    and will not (T)swallow it down;
from the profit of his trading
    he will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has crushed and abandoned the poor;
    he has seized a house that he did not build.
20 “Because he (U)knew no (V)contentment in his belly,
    (W)he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.
21 There was nothing left after he had eaten;
    therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress;
    the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.
23 To fill his belly to the full,
    God[a] will send his burning anger against him
    and rain it upon him (X)into his body.
24 (Y)He will flee from an iron weapon;
    (Z)a bronze arrow will strike (AA)him through.
25 It (AB)is drawn forth and comes out of his body;
    (AC)the glittering point comes out of his (AD)gallbladder;
    (AE)terrors come upon him.
26 Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures;
    (AF)a fire not fanned will devour him;
    what is left in his tent will be consumed.
27 (AG)The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
    and the earth will rise up against him.
28 The possessions of his house will be carried away,
    dragged off in the day of God's[b] wrath.
29 (AH)This is the wicked man's portion from God,
    (AI)the heritage decreed for him by God.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 20:23 Hebrew he
  2. Job 20:28 Hebrew his

Zophar

20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:

“My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
    because I am greatly disturbed.(B)
I hear a rebuke(C) that dishonors me,
    and my understanding inspires me to reply.

“Surely you know how it has been from of old,(D)
    ever since mankind[a] was placed on the earth,
that the mirth of the wicked(E) is brief,
    the joy of the godless(F) lasts but a moment.(G)
Though the pride(H) of the godless person reaches to the heavens(I)
    and his head touches the clouds,(J)
he will perish forever,(K) like his own dung;
    those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’(L)
Like a dream(M) he flies away,(N) no more to be found,
    banished(O) like a vision of the night.(P)
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)

Footnotes

  1. Job 20:4 Or Adam
  2. Job 20:28 Or The possessions in his house will be carried off, / washed away