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Zophar Speaks: Wickedness Receives Just Retribution

20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:

‘Pay attention! My thoughts urge me to answer,
    because of the agitation within me.
I hear censure that insults me,
    and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.
Do you not know this from of old,
    ever since mortals were placed on earth,
that the exulting of the wicked is short,
    and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?
Even though they mount up high as the heavens,
    and their head reaches to the clouds,
they will perish for ever like their own dung;
    those who have seen them will say, “Where are they?”
They will fly away like a dream, and not be found;
    they will be chased away like a vision of the night.
The eye that saw them will see them no more,
    nor will their place behold them any longer.
10 Their children will seek the favour of the poor,
    and their hands will give back their wealth.
11 Their bodies, once full of youth,
    will lie down in the dust with them.

12 ‘Though wickedness is sweet in their mouth,
    though they hide it under their tongues,
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.
17 They will not look on the rivers,
    the streams flowing with honey and curds.
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.
19 For they have crushed and abandoned the poor,
    they have seized a house that they did not build.

20 ‘They knew no quiet in their bellies;
    in their greed they let nothing escape.
21 There was nothing left after they had eaten;
    therefore their prosperity will not endure.
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.[b]
24 They will flee from an iron weapon;
    a bronze arrow will strike them through.
25 It is drawn forth and comes out of their body,
    and the glittering point comes out of their gall;
    terrors come upon them.
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.
27 The heavens will reveal their iniquity,
    and the earth will rise up against them.
28 The possessions of their house will be carried away,
    dragged off on the day of God’s[c] wrath.
29 This is the portion of the wicked from God,
    the heritage decreed for them by God.’

Footnotes

  1. Job 20:23 Heb he
  2. Job 20:23 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. Job 20:28 Heb his

Zophar’s Sermon on the Wicked Man

20 Then (A)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer,
Because of the turmoil within me.
I have heard the rebuke [a]that reproaches me,
And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.

“Do you not know this of (B)old,
Since man was placed on earth,
(C)That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a (D)moment?
(E)Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens,
And his head reaches to the clouds,
Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
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.
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.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 20:3 Lit. of my insulting correction
  2. Job 20:13 Lit. palate
  3. Job 20:19 crushed
  4. Job 20:20 Lit. belly
  5. Job 20:22 Or the wretched or sufferer
  6. Job 20:25 Gallbladder

Sofar håller fast vid vad han sagt

20 Sedan yttrade sig Sofar från Naama:

Jag måste få säga en sak, för jag har ett svar att ge dig.

Du har försökt få mig att skämmas för att jag har kallat dig syndare, men jag tänker inte tiga och tåla det.

4-5 Inser du inte att den ogudaktiges seger alltid är kortlivad och att den gudlöses glädje bara varar ett ögonblick? Så har det varit sedan människan först kom till jorden!

Även om den gudlöse stolt sträcker sig mot himlen och vandrar med näsan i vädret,

ska han ändå förgås och sluta på samma ställe som sin egen avföring. De som kände honom ska undra vart han tog vägen.

Han ska försvinna som en flyktig dröm.

Inte heller hans vänner eller familj ska någonsin mer få se honom.

10 Hans barn ska tigga av de fattiga, och deras hårda arbete ska betala hans skulder.

11 Även om han är en ung man, ska han slås till marken.

12 Han njuter av smaken på sin ondska, låter den smälta i munnen

13 och suger sakta på den, så att den inte ska försvinna för snabbt.

14 Men helt plötsligt förvandlas det han njutit av till gift.

15 Han kommer att spy ut den rikedom han slukat, för Gud låter honom inte behålla den.

16 Den är som gift och död för honom.

17 Han kan inte njuta av det goda han samlat på sig.

18 Hans arbete ska inte ge honom någon lön, och rikedomen ska inte ge honom någon glädje.

19 Han har förtryckt de fattiga och roffat åt sig deras hus. Han kommer aldrig att tillfriskna.

20 Han har alltid varit girig, men nu har han ingenting. Av allt det han drömde om finns ingenting kvar.

21 Han slukade allt han kom åt, och därför ska hans framgång inte fortsätta.

22 Han ska råka i svårigheter, när han står på höjden av sin makt. Olycka ska förgöra honom.

23 Just då han håller på att fylla sin mage, ska Gud låta sin vrede regna ner över honom.

24 Han kommer att fly från sitt straff, men en pil ska träffa honom.

25 Dess glänsande spets ska dras ut ur hans galla och dödsskräcken ska då gripa honom.

26 Hans skatter ska gå förlorade i det djupaste mörker. En rasande eld ska förtära hans ägodelar och bränna upp allt han har kvar.

27 Himlen kommer att uppenbara hans synder, och jorden ska vittna mot honom.

28 Hans rikedom ska försvinna under Guds vrede.

29 Detta är vad som väntar den ogudaktige, och vad Gud har berett åt honom.

Zophar

20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:

“My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
    because I am greatly disturbed.(B)
I hear a rebuke(C) that dishonors me,
    and my understanding inspires me to reply.

“Surely you know how it has been from of old,(D)
    ever since mankind[a] was placed on the earth,
that the mirth of the wicked(E) is brief,
    the joy of the godless(F) lasts but a moment.(G)
Though the pride(H) of the godless person reaches to the heavens(I)
    and his head touches the clouds,(J)
he will perish forever,(K) like his own dung;
    those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’(L)
Like a dream(M) he flies away,(N) no more to be found,
    banished(O) like a vision of the night.(P)
The eye that saw him will not see him again;
    his place will look on him no more.(Q)
10 His children(R) must make amends to the poor;
    his own hands must give back his wealth.(S)
11 The youthful vigor(T) that fills his bones(U)
    will lie with him in the dust.(V)

12 “Though evil(W) is sweet in his mouth
    and he hides it under his tongue,(X)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
    and lets it linger in his mouth,(Y)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;(Z)
    it will become the venom of serpents(AA) within him.
15 He will spit out the riches(AB) he swallowed;
    God will make his stomach vomit(AC) them up.
16 He will suck the poison(AD) of serpents;
    the fangs of an adder will kill him.(AE)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
    the rivers(AF) flowing with honey(AG) and cream.(AH)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;(AI)
    he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.(AJ)
19 For he has oppressed the poor(AK) and left them destitute;(AL)
    he has seized houses(AM) he did not build.

20 “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;(AN)
    he cannot save himself by his treasure.(AO)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
    his prosperity will not endure.(AP)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;(AQ)
    the full force of misery will come upon him.(AR)
23 When he has filled his belly,(AS)
    God will vent his burning anger(AT) against him
    and rain down his blows on him.(AU)
24 Though he flees(AV) from an iron weapon,
    a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.(AW)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
    the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors(AX) will come over him;(AY)
26     total darkness(AZ) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire(BA) unfanned will consume him(BB)
    and devour what is left in his tent.(BC)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
    the earth will rise up against him.(BD)
28 A flood will carry off his house,(BE)
    rushing waters[b] on the day of God’s wrath.(BF)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
    the heritage appointed for them by God.”(BG)

Footnotes

  1. Job 20:4 Or Adam
  2. Job 20:28 Or The possessions in his house will be carried off, / washed away