¹¹ Then Peter came to himself and said, Now I really know and am sure that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me].

¹² When he, at a glance, became aware of this [^[a]comprehending all the elements of the case], he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where a large number were assembled together and were praying.

¹³ And when he knocked at the gate of the porch, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.

¹⁴ And recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she failed to open the gate, but ran in and told the people that Peter was standing before the porch gate.

¹⁵ They said to her, You are crazy! But she persistently and strongly and confidently affirmed that it was the truth. They said, It is his angel!

¹⁶ But meanwhile Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the gate and saw him, they were amazed.

¹⁷ But motioning to them with his hand to keep quiet and listen, he related to them how the Lord had delivered him out of the prison. And he said, Report all this to James [the Less] and to the brethren. Then he left and went to some other place.

¹⁸ Now as soon as it was day, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.

¹⁹ And when Herod had looked for him and could not find him, he placed the guards on trial and commanded that they should be led away [to execution]. Then [Herod] went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed on there.

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20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

² Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and I make haste [to offer it] for this reason.

³ I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame, but out of my understanding my spirit answers me.

⁴ Do you not know from of old, 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 and defiled is but for a moment?^(A)

⁶ Though his [proud] height mounts up to the heavens and his head reaches to the clouds,

⁷ Yet he will perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, Where is he?

⁸ He will fly away like a dream and will not be found; yes, he will be chased away as a vision of the night.

⁹ The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his [accustomed] place any more behold him.

¹⁰ The poor will oppress his children, and his hands will give back his [ill-gotten] wealth.

¹¹ His bones are full of youthful energy, but it will lie down with him in the dust.

¹² Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue,

¹³ Though he is loath to let it go but keeps it still within his mouth,

¹⁴ Yet his food turns [to poison] in his stomach; it is the venom of asps within him.

¹⁵ He has swallowed down [his ill-gotten] riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.

¹⁶ He shall suck the poison of asps [which ill-gotten wealth contains]; the viper’s tongue shall slay him.

¹⁷ He shall not look upon the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter [to enjoy his wealth].

¹⁸ That which he labored for shall he give back and shall not swallow it down [to enjoy it]; according to his wealth shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice in it.

¹⁹ For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has violently taken away a house which he did not build.

²⁰ Because his desire and greed knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights.

²¹ There was nothing left that he did not devour; therefore his prosperity will not endure.

²² In the fullness of his sufficiency [in the time of his great abundance] he shall be poor and in straits; every hand of everyone who is in misery shall come upon him [he is but a wretch on every side].

²³ When he is about to fill his belly [as in the wilderness when God sent the quails], God will cast the fierceness of His wrath upon him and will rain it upon him while he is eating.^(B)

²⁴ He will flee from the iron weapon, but the bow of bronze shall strike him through.

²⁵ [The arrow] is drawn forth and it comes out after passing through his body; yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Terrors march in upon him;

²⁶ Every misfortune is laid up for his treasures. A fire not blown by man shall devour him; it shall consume what is left in his tent [and it shall go ill with him who remains there].

²⁷ The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.

²⁸ The produce and increase of his house will go into exile [with the victors], dragged away in the day of [God’s] wrath.

²⁹ This is the wicked man’s portion from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.

21 Then Job answered,

² Hear diligently my speech, and let this [your attention] be your consolation [given me].

³ Allow me, and I also will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on.

⁴ As for me, is my complaint to man or of him? And why should I not be impatient and my spirit be troubled?

⁵ Look at me and be astonished (appalled); and lay your hand upon your mouth.

⁶ Even when I remember, I am troubled and afraid; horror and trembling take hold of my flesh.

⁷ Why do the wicked live, become old, and become mighty in power?

⁸ Their children are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.

⁹ Their houses are safe and in peace, without fear; neither is the rod of God upon them.

¹⁰ Their bull breeds and fails not; their cows calve and do not miscarry.

¹¹ They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children skip about.

¹² They themselves lift up their voices and sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

¹³ They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol (the unseen state) in a moment and peacefully.

¹⁴ Yet they say to God, Depart from us, for we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

¹⁵ Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?^(C)

¹⁶ But notice, [you say] the prosperity of the wicked is not in their power; the mystery [of God’s dealings] with the ungodly is far from my comprehension.

¹⁷ How often [then] is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains and sorrows to them in His anger?^(D)

¹⁸ That they are like stubble before the wind and like chaff that the storm steals and carries away?

¹⁹ You say, God lays up [the punishment of the wicked man’s] iniquity for his children. Let Him recompense it to the man himself, that he may know and feel it.

²⁰ Let his own eyes see his destruction, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

²¹ For what pleasure or interest has a man in his house and family after he is dead, when the number of his months is cut off?

²² Shall any teach God knowledge, seeing that He judges those who are on high?^(E)

²³ One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;

²⁴ His pails are full of milk [his veins are filled with nourishment], and the marrow of his bones is fresh and moist,

²⁵ Whereas another man dies in bitterness of soul and never tastes of pleasure or good fortune.

²⁶ They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm spreads a covering over them.

²⁷ Behold, I know your thoughts and plans and the devices with which you would wrong me.

²⁸ For you say, Where is the house of the rich and liberal prince [meaning me]? And where is the tent in which the wicked [Job] dwelt?

²⁹ Have you not asked those who travel this way, and do you not accept their testimony and evidences—

³⁰ That the evil man is [now] spared in the day of calamity and destruction, and they are led forth and away on the day of [God’s] wrath?

³¹ But who declares [a man’s] way [and rebukes] him to his face? And who pays him back for what he has done?

³² When he is borne to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.

³³ The clods of the valley are sweet to him, and every man shall follow him to a grave, as innumerable people [have gone] before him.

³⁴ How then can you comfort me with empty and futile words, since in your replies there lurks falsehood?