Iyov 20
Orthodox Jewish Bible
20 Then answered Tzophar the Na’amati, and said,
2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and ba’avur (because of [this]) I make haste.
3 I hear the musar that insults me, and the ruach of my understanding causeth me to answer.
4 Knowest thou not this of old, since adam was placed upon earth,
5 That the triumphing of the resha’im is short, and the simchat chanef (joy of the hypocrite) but for a moment?
6 Though his excellency mount up to Shomayim, and his rosh reach unto the clouds;
7 Yet he shall perish lanetzach (forever) like his own dung; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8 He shall fly away as a chalom, and shall not be found; yea, he shall be chased away as a chezyon lailah.
9 The ayin also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his makom any more behold him.
10 His banim shall seek the favor of the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
11 His atzmot are full of youthful vigor, which shall lie down with him in the aphar.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his leshon;
13 Though he savor it, and forsake it not, but keep it still betoch (within) his mouth;
14 Yet his lechem in his stomach is turned sour; it is the venom of vipers within him.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; El shall drive them out of his beten.
16 He shall suck the venom of asps; the viper’s leshon shall slay him.
17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of devash and khemah (butter, curds).
18 That which he labored for shall he give back, and shall not swallow it down; he shall not rejoice according to his chayil temurah (business profit).
19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the destitute; because he hath violently seized a bais which he built not;
20 Surely he knew no quiet in his beten; he shall not save anything which he desired.
21 There shall none of his ochel be left; therefore his posterity will not endure.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in distress; kol yad of misery shall come upon him.
23 When he is about to fill his beten, He shall cast the charon af (fury of His wrath) upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.
24 He shall flee from the weapon of barzel (iron), and the keshet of bronze shall strike him through.
25 It is drawn, and cometh out of their body; yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall; emim (terrors [of death]) are upon them.
26 Kol choshech is reserved for his treasures; an eish not fanned shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his ohel.
27 Shomayim shall reveal his iniquity; and eretz shall rise up against him.
28 The increase of his bais shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in [G-d’s] Yom Af.
29 This is the chelek of an adam rasha from Elohim, and the nachalah decreed unto him by El (G-d).
Job 20
New King James Version
Zophar’s Sermon on the Wicked Man
20 Then (A)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer,
Because of the turmoil within me.
3 I have heard the rebuke [a]that reproaches me,
And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
4 “Do you not know this of (B)old,
Since man was placed on earth,
5 (C)That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a (D)moment?
6 (E)Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens,
And his head reaches to the clouds,
7 Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away (F)like a dream, and not be found;
Yes, he (G)will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,
Nor will his place behold him anymore.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
And his hands will restore his wealth.
11 His bones are full of (H)his youthful vigor,
(I)But it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he spares it and does not forsake it,
But still keeps it in his [b]mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach turns sour;
It becomes cobra venom within him.
15 He swallows down riches
And vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue will slay him.
17 He will not see (J)the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 He will restore that for which he labored,
And will not swallow it down;
From the proceeds of business
He will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has [c]oppressed and forsaken the poor,
He has violently seized a house which he did not build.
20 “Because(K) he knows no quietness in his [d]heart,
He will not save anything he desires.
21 Nothing is left for him to eat;
Therefore his well-being will not last.
22 In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress;
Every hand of [e]misery will come against him.
23 When he is about to fill his stomach,
God will cast on him the fury of His wrath,
And will rain it on him while he is eating.
24 (L)He will flee from the iron weapon;
A bronze bow will pierce him through.
25 It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
Yes, (M)the glittering point comes out of his [f]gall.
(N)Terrors come upon him;
26 Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.
(O)An unfanned fire will consume him;
It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house will depart,
And his goods will flow away in the day of His (P)wrath.
29 (Q)This is the portion from God for a wicked man,
The heritage appointed to him by God.”
Job 20
English Standard Version
Zophar Speaks: The Wicked Will Suffer
20 Then (A)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Therefore my (B)thoughts answer me,
because of my haste within me.
3 I hear censure that insults me,
and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
4 Do you not know this from of old,
(C)since man was placed on earth,
5 (D)that the exulting of the wicked is short,
and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 (E)Though his height mount up to the heavens,
and his head reach to the clouds,
7 he will perish forever like his own (F)dung;
those who have seen him will say, (G)‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away like (H)a dream and not be found;
he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 (I)The eye that saw him will see him no more,
nor will his place any more behold him.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
and his hands will (J)give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his (K)youthful vigor,
but it will lie (L)down with him in the dust.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
though he hides it (M)under his tongue,
13 though he is loath to let it go
and holds it in his mouth,
14 yet his food is turned in his stomach;
it is the venom of (N)cobras within him.
15 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
(O)the tongue of a viper will kill him.
17 He will not look upon (P)the rivers,
the streams flowing with (Q)honey and (R)curds.
18 He will (S)give back the fruit of his toil
and will not (T)swallow it down;
from the profit of his trading
he will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has crushed and abandoned the poor;
he has seized a house that he did not build.
20 “Because he (U)knew no (V)contentment in his belly,
(W)he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.
21 There was nothing left after he had eaten;
therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress;
the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.
23 To fill his belly to the full,
God[a] will send his burning anger against him
and rain it upon him (X)into his body.
24 (Y)He will flee from an iron weapon;
(Z)a bronze arrow will strike (AA)him through.
25 It (AB)is drawn forth and comes out of his body;
(AC)the glittering point comes out of his (AD)gallbladder;
(AE)terrors come upon him.
26 Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures;
(AF)a fire not fanned will devour him;
what is left in his tent will be consumed.
27 (AG)The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
and the earth will rise up against him.
28 The possessions of his house will be carried away,
dragged off in the day of God's[b] wrath.
29 (AH)This is the wicked man's portion from God,
(AI)the heritage decreed for him by God.”
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
