Job 20
International Standard Version
Zophar Speaks the Second Time
20 Then Zophar from Naamath replied:
2 “Therefore my anxious thoughts cause me to answer
because I’m agitated within me.
3 Whenever I hear an insulting rebuke,
I respond from my spirit because I understand.”
Destruction Awaits the Wicked
4 “Haven’t you known this from ancient times,
since mankind was placed on the earth?
5 The wicked triumph only briefly;
the joy of the godless is momentary.
6 Though he grow as tall as the sky,
or though his head touches the clouds,
7 he’ll perish forever, like his own excrement;
those who saw him will ask, ‘Where is he?’
8 He’ll vanish[a] like a dream, and no one will find him;
he will be chased away like a night vision.”
9 “An eye that gazes at him won’t do so again;
and his place won’t even recognize him.
10 His sons will make amends to the poor;
their hands will return his wealth.
11 Though his bones were full of youthful vigor;
yet they will lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth,
though he conceals it under his tongue,
13 though he savors it and delays swallowing it
so he can taste it again and again in his mouth,[b]
14 his food will turn rancid in his stomach—
it will become a cobra’s poison inside him.
15 “Though he swallows wealth, he will vomit it;
God will dislodge it from his stomach.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
the fangs[c] of a viper will slay him.
17 He won’t look at the rivers—
the torrents of honey and curd.[d]
18 “He will restore what he has attained from his work
and won’t consume it;
he won’t enjoy the profits from his business transactions,
19 because he has crushed and abandoned the poor;
he has seized a house that he didn’t build.
20 “Since his appetite won’t quit;[e]
he won’t let anything escape his lust.[f]
21 Because nothing was left for him to devour,
therefore his prosperity won’t last.
22 Even though he is satiated and self-sufficient, he suffers—
everyone in any sort of trouble will attack him.
23 “It will come about that,
when he has filled himself to the full,
God[g] will vent his burning anger on him;
he will pour it out on him and on his body.
24 Though he dodges an iron weapon,
a bronze arrow will pierce him.
25 It will impale him and come out through his back;
the point will glisten as it protrudes through his gall bladder,
and he will be terrified.
26 “Total darkness has been reserved for his treasures;
a fire that has no need to be kindled will devour him
and consume whatever remains in his possession.[h]
27 Heaven will reveal his iniquity,
while the earth will rise up against him.
28 A flood will wash away his house;
dragging it away when God becomes angry.
29 This is what the wicked person inherits from God;
it is the inheritance that God appoints for him.”
Job 20
Tree of Life Version
Zophar: Death and Hell for the Wicked
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded and said:
2 “In truth, my troubled thoughts urge me to answer
because of my feelings within me.
3 I hear a rebuke that dishonors me
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4 Do you not know that it has been from old,
since mankind was put on earth,
5 that the triumph of the wicked is short
and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?
6 Though his pride reaches to the heavens,
and his head touches the clouds,
7 he perishes forever like his own dung.
Those who have seen him will say,
‘Where is he?’
8 Like a dream, he flies away
and they cannot find him;
like a vision of the night,
he is chased away.
9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.
10 His children must recompense the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.
11 His bones were full of his youthful vigor
but it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
though he hides it under his tongue,
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
and holds it in his mouth,
14 his food turns sour in his stomach;
it becomes the venom of serpents within him.
15 He swallows riches and vomits them up;
God empties it out of his stomach.
16 He sucks the poison of serpents;
fangs of a viper kill him.
17 He will not look at streams,
rivers flowing with honey and butter.
18 He gives back what he toiled for without swallowing it;
he will not enjoy the riches of his trade.
19 For he has oppressed and abandoned the poor.
He has seized a house he did not build.
20 For he knows no satisfaction from his greed,
he cannot save himself by his desires.
21 Nothing remains for him to devour;
therefore his prosperity will not last.
22 In the fullness of his plenty, he will be distressed;
the full force of misery will come upon him.
23 While he is filling his belly,
He will send the anger of His wrath against him,
and rain it down it on him, on his flesh.
24 Though he flees from an iron weapon,
a bronze bow pierces him through.
25 He pulls and it comes out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors come upon him!
26 Total darkness waits for his treasures;
A fire not fanned will devour him;
it will consume what is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will expose his iniquity;
the earth will rise up against him.
28 A flood will carry off his house,
rushing waters on the day of His wrath.
29 Such is the wicked man’s lot from God,
the heritage appointed to him by God.”
Job 20
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Zophar Speaks: Wickedness Receives Just Retribution
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
2 ‘Pay attention! 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.
4 Do you not know this from of old,
ever since mortals were placed on earth,
5 that the exulting of the wicked is short,
and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?
6 Even though they mount up high as the heavens,
and their head reaches to the clouds,
7 they will perish for ever 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.
9 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.’
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.