20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

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20 But the wicked(A) are like the tossing sea,(B)
    which cannot rest,
    whose waves cast up mire(C) and mud.

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11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

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11 Woe to the wicked!(A)
    Disaster(B) is upon them!
They will be paid back(C)
    for what their hands have done.(D)

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Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.

The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.

The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.

The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.

10 The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.

11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.

12 His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.

13 It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.

14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.

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“The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;(A)
    the flame of his fire stops burning.(B)
The light in his tent(C) becomes dark;(D)
    the lamp beside him goes out.(E)
The vigor(F) of his step is weakened;(G)
    his own schemes(H) throw him down.(I)
His feet thrust him into a net;(J)
    he wanders into its mesh.
A trap seizes him by the heel;
    a snare(K) holds him fast.(L)
10 A noose(M) is hidden for him on the ground;
    a trap(N) lies in his path.(O)
11 Terrors(P) startle him on every side(Q)
    and dog(R) his every step.
12 Calamity(S) is hungry(T) for him;
    disaster(U) is ready for him when he falls.(V)
13 It eats away parts of his skin;(W)
    death’s firstborn devours his limbs.(X)
14 He is torn from the security of his tent(Y)
    and marched off to the king(Z) of terrors.(AA)

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16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

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16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(A)
    they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.(B)

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18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

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18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;(A)
    you cast them down to ruin.(B)
19 How suddenly(C) are they destroyed,
    completely swept away(D) by terrors!
20 They are like a dream(E) when one awakes;(F)
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.(G)

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11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;

13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:

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

15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.

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

18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

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

22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.

25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

26 All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

28 The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

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

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11 The youthful vigor(A) that fills his bones(B)
    will lie with him in the dust.(C)

12 “Though evil(D) is sweet in his mouth
    and he hides it under his tongue,(E)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
    and lets it linger in his mouth,(F)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;(G)
    it will become the venom of serpents(H) within him.
15 He will spit out the riches(I) he swallowed;
    God will make his stomach vomit(J) them up.
16 He will suck the poison(K) of serpents;
    the fangs of an adder will kill him.(L)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
    the rivers(M) flowing with honey(N) and cream.(O)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;(P)
    he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.(Q)
19 For he has oppressed the poor(R) and left them destitute;(S)
    he has seized houses(T) he did not build.

20 “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;(U)
    he cannot save himself by his treasure.(V)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
    his prosperity will not endure.(W)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;(X)
    the full force of misery will come upon him.(Y)
23 When he has filled his belly,(Z)
    God will vent his burning anger(AA) against him
    and rain down his blows on him.(AB)
24 Though he flees(AC) from an iron weapon,
    a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.(AD)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
    the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors(AE) will come over him;(AF)
26     total darkness(AG) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire(AH) unfanned will consume him(AI)
    and devour what is left in his tent.(AJ)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
    the earth will rise up against him.(AK)
28 A flood will carry off his house,(AL)
    rushing waters[a] on the day of God’s wrath.(AM)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
    the heritage appointed for them by God.”(AN)

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Footnotes

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

20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

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20 All his days the wicked man suffers torment,(A)
    the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.(B)
21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears;(C)
    when all seems well, marauders attack him.(D)
22 He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;(E)
    he is marked for the sword.(F)
23 He wanders about(G) for food like a vulture;(H)
    he knows the day of darkness(I) is at hand.(J)
24 Distress and anguish(K) fill him with terror;(L)
    troubles overwhelm him, like a king(M) poised to attack,

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12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

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12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts,(A) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.(B) They are clouds without rain,(C) blown along by the wind;(D) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted(E)—twice dead.

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