Job 20:1-29
20 Then responded Zophar the Naamathite and said:—
2 Not so do my thoughts answer me, And to this end, is my haste within me:
3 The correction meant to confound me I must hear, But the spirit—out of my understanding will give me a reply.
4 Knowest thou this—from antiquity, From the placing of man upon earth:—
5 That the joy-shout of the lawless is short, And the rejoicing of the impious for a moment?
6 Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, And his head to the clouds doth reach
7 Like his own stubble shall he utterly perish, They who had seen him shall 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.
9 The eye that hath scanned him shall not do it again, Neither any more shall his place behold him:
10 His children shall seek the favour of the poor, And his own hand shall give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of youthful vigour, Yet with him—in the dust shall it lie down.
12 Though a sweet taste in his mouth be given by vice, 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
14 His food in his stomach is changed, The gall of adders within him!
15 Wealth hath he swallowed and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly shall God drive it forth:
16 The poison of adders shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;
17 Let him not see in the channels The flowings of torrents of honey and milk.
18 In vain he toiled, he shall not swallow, Like wealth to be restored in which he cannot exult!
19 For he hath oppressed—hath forsaken the poor, A house hath he seized which he cannot rebuild.
20 Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind,—With his dearest thing shall he not get away:
21 Nothing escaped his devouring greed,—For this cause shall his prosperity not continue:
22 When his abundance is gone he shall be in straits, All the power of distress shall come upon 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.
24 He shall flee from the armour of iron,—There shall pierce him a bow of bronze!
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:
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:
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth be rising up against him:
28 The increase of his house shall vanish, Melting away in the day of his anger.
29 This is the portion of the lawless man from God, And the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.
