Job 20
World English Bible
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
2 “Therefore my thoughts answer me,
even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame.
The spirit of my understanding answers me.
4 Don’t you know this from old time,
since man was placed on earth,
5 that the triumphing of the wicked is short,
the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens,
and his head reach 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 as a dream, and will not be found.
Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye which saw him will see him no more,
neither will his place see him any more.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor.
His hands will give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youth,
but youth will lie down with him in the dust.
12 “Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth,
though he hide it under his tongue,
13 though he spare it, and will not let it go,
but keep it still within his mouth;
14 yet his food in his bowels is turned.
It is cobra venom within him.
15 He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again.
God will cast them out of his belly.
16 He will suck cobra venom.
The viper’s tongue will kill him.
17 He will not look at the rivers,
the flowing streams of honey and butter.
18 He will restore that for which he labored, and will not swallow it down.
He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.
19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor.
He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.
20 “Because he knew no quietness within him,
he will not save anything of that in which he delights.
21 There was nothing left that he didn’t devour,
therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him.
The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.
23 When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him.
It will rain on him while he is eating.
24 He will flee from the iron weapon.
The bronze arrow will strike him through.
25 He draws it out, and it comes out of his body.
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver.
Terrors are on him.
26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures.
An unfanned fire will devour him.
It will consume that which is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity.
The earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house will depart.
They will rush away in the day of his wrath.
29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God,
the heritage appointed to him by God.”
Job 20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Zophar Speaks: Wickedness Receives Just Retribution
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
2 “Listen! My thoughts urge me to answer
because of the agitation within me.
3 I hear censure that insults me,
and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.(A)
4 Do you not know this from of old,
ever since mortals were placed on earth,(B)
5 that the exulting of the wicked is short
and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?(C)
6 Even though they mount up high as the heavens
and their head reaches to the clouds,(D)
7 they will perish forever like their own dung;
those who have seen them will say, ‘Where are they?’
8 They will fly away like a dream and not be found;
they will be chased away like a vision of the night.(E)
9 The eye that saw them will see them no more,
nor will their place behold them any longer.(F)
10 Their children will seek the favor of the poor,
and their hands will give back their wealth.(G)
11 Their bodies, once full of youth,
will lie down in the dust with them.(H)
12 “Though wickedness is sweet in their mouth,
though they hide it under their tongues,(I)
13 though they are loath to let it go
and hold it in their mouths,
14 yet their food is turned in their stomachs;
it is the venom of asps within them.
15 They swallow down riches and vomit them up again;
God casts them out of their bellies.
16 They will suck the poison of asps;
the tongue of a viper will kill them.(J)
17 They will not look on the rivers,
the streams flowing with honey and curds.(K)
18 They will give back the fruit of their toil
and will not swallow it down;
from the profit of their trading
they will get no enjoyment.(L)
19 For they have crushed and abandoned the poor;
they have seized a house that they did not build.(M)
20 “For they knew no quiet in their bellies;
in their greed they let nothing escape.(N)
21 There was nothing left after they had eaten;
therefore their prosperity will not endure.(O)
22 In full sufficiency they will be in distress;
all the force of misery will come upon them.
23 To fill their belly to the full,
God[a] will send his fierce anger into them
and rain it upon them as their food.(P)
24 They will flee from an iron weapon;
a bronze arrow will strike them through.(Q)
25 It is drawn forth and comes out of their body,
and the glittering point comes out of their gall;
terrors come upon them.(R)
26 Utter darkness is laid up for their treasures;
a fire fanned by no one will devour them;
what is left in their tent will be consumed.(S)
27 The heavens will reveal their iniquity,
and the earth will rise up against them.(T)
28 The possessions of their house will be carried away,
dragged off in the day of God’s[b] wrath.(U)
29 This is the portion of the wicked from God,
the heritage decreed for them by God.”(V)
by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.