Job 20

Zophar Says, “The Triumph of the Wicked Is Short”

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite ^{▼▼ Lit answered and said}answered, 2 “Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me ^{▼▼ Lit return}respond,
Even because of my ^{▼▼ Lit haste within me}inward agitation.
3 “I listened to ^dthe reproof which insults me,
And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
4 “Do you know this from ^eof old,
From the establishment of man on earth,
5 That the ^ftriumphing of the wicked is short,
And ^gthe joy of the godless momentary?
6 “Though his loftiness ^{▼▼ Lit goes up to
,} ⁱreaches the heavens,
And his head touches the clouds,
7 He ^jperishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him ^kwill say, ‘Where is he?’
8 “He flies away like a ^ldream, and they cannot find him;
Even like a vision of the night he is ^mchased away.
9 “The ⁿeye which saw him sees him no longer,
And ^ohis place no longer beholds him.
10 “His ^psons ^{▼▼ Or seek the favor of}favor the poor,
And his hands ^rgive back his wealth.
11 “His ^sbones are full of his youthful vigor,
But it lies down with him ^{▼▼ Lit on}in the dust.

12 “Though ^uevil is sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he ^{▼▼ Lit has compassion on}desires it and will not let it go,
But holds it ^win his ^{▼▼ Lit palate}mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach is changed
To the ^{▼▼ Lit gall}venom of cobras within him.
15 “He swallows riches,
But will ^zvomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.
16 “He sucks ^aathe poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue slays him.
17 “He does not look at ^abthe streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
18 “He ^acreturns what he has attained
And cannot swallow it;
As to the riches of his trading,
He cannot even enjoy them.
19 “For he has ^adoppressed and forsaken the poor;
He has seized a house which he has not built.

20 “Because he knew no quiet ^{▼▼ Lit in his belly}within him,
He does ^afnot retain anything he desires.
21 “Nothing remains ^{▼▼ Or of what he devours}for him to devour,
Therefore ^ahhis prosperity does not endure.
22 “In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped;
The ^aihand of everyone who suffers will come against him.
23 “When he ^ajfills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And will ^akrain it on him ^{▼▼ Or as his food}while he is eating.
24 “He may ^amflee from the iron weapon,
But the bronze bow will pierce him.
25 “It is drawn forth and comes out of his back,
Even the glittering point from ^anhis gall.
^aoTerrors come upon him,
26 Complete ^apdarkness is held in reserve for his treasures,
And unfanned ^aqfire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.
27 “The ^arheavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 “The ^asincrease of his house will depart;
His possessions will flow away ^atin the day of His anger.
29 “This is the wicked man’s ^auportion from God,
Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”