Chapter 20

Then answered⁴ Zophar the Naamathite, and said,⁴

Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer,⁵⁵ and for [this] I make haste.²

I have heard⁴ the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.⁴

Knowest¹ thou [not] this of old, since man was placed² upon earth,

That the triumphing of the wicked [is] short, and the joy of the hypocrite [but] for a moment?

Though his excellency mount up⁴ to the heavens, and his head reach⁵⁵ unto the clouds;

[Yet] he shall perish⁴ for ever like his own dung: they which have seen⁶ him shall say,⁴ Where [is] he?

He shall fly away⁴ as a dream, and shall not be found:⁴ yea, he shall be chased away⁹³ as a vision of the night.

The eye also [which] saw¹ him shall [see him] no more;⁵⁵ neither shall his place any more behold⁴ him.

His children shall seek to please¹⁷ the poor, and his hands shall restore⁵⁵ their goods.

His bones are full¹ [of the sin] of his youth, which shall lie down⁴ with him in the dust.

Though wickedness be sweet⁵⁵ in his mouth, [though] he hide⁵⁵ it under his tongue;

[Though] he spare⁴ it, and forsake⁴ it not; but keep it⁴ still within his mouth:

[Yet] his meat in his bowels is turned,⁸ [it is] the gall of asps within him.

He hath swallowed down¹ riches, and he shall vomit⁵⁵ them up again: God shall cast them out⁵⁵ of his belly.

He shall suck⁴ the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay⁴ him.

He shall not see⁴ the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

That which he laboured for shall he restore,⁵⁶ and shall not swallow [it] down:⁴ according to [his] substance [shall] the restitution [be], and he shall not rejoice⁴ [therein].

Because he hath oppressed¹⁴ [and] hath forsaken¹ the poor; [because] he hath violently taken away¹ an house which he builded⁴ not;

Surely he shall not feel¹ quietness in his belly, he shall not save¹⁷ of that which he desired.⁷

There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look⁴ for his goods.

In the fulness^{2 4390 15} of his sufficiency he shall be in straits:⁴ every hand of the wicked shall come⁴ upon him.

[When] he is about to fill¹⁵ his belly, [God] shall cast¹⁷ the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain⁵⁵ [it] upon him while he is eating.

He shall flee⁴ from the iron weapon, [and] the bow of steel shall strike him through.⁴

It is drawn,¹ and cometh out⁴ of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out⁴ of his gall: terrors [are] upon him.

All darkness [shall be] hid⁷ in his secret places:⁷ a fire not blown²⁷ shall consume¹⁷ him; it shall go ill⁴ with him that is left in his tabernacle.

The heaven shall reveal¹⁷ his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up¹⁰² against him.

The increase of his house shall depart,⁴ [and his goods] shall flow away¹² in the day of his wrath.

This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.