20 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;

Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

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.

Zophar Says the Rejoicing of the Wicked Is Short

20 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,

“Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me [a]respond,
Even because of my [b]inward agitation.
I listened to (A)the reprimand which insults me,
And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
Do you know this from (B)ancient times,
From the establishment of mankind on earth,
That the (C)rejoicing of the wicked is short,
And (D)the joy of the godless momentary?
Though his arrogance [c](E)reaches the heavens,
And his head touches the clouds,
He (F)perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him (G)will say, ‘Where is he?’
He flies away like a (H)dream, and they cannot find him;
Like a vision of the night he is (I)chased away.
The (J)eye which saw him sees him no longer,
And (K)his place no longer beholds him.
10 His (L)sons [d]favor the poor,
And his hands (M)give back his wealth.
11 His (N)bones are full of his youthful strength,
But it lies down with him [e]in the dust.

12 “Though (O)evil tastes sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he [f]desires it and will not let it go,
But holds it (P)in his [g]mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach is changed
To the [h]venom of cobras within him.
15 He swallows riches,
But will (Q)vomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.
16 He sucks (R)the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue kills him.
17 He does not look at (S)the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
18 He (T)returns the product of his labor
And cannot swallow it;
As to the riches of his trading,
He cannot even enjoy them.
19 For he has (U)oppressed and neglected the poor;
He has seized a house which he has not built.

20 “Because he knew no quiet [i]within him,
He does (V)not retain anything he desires.
21 Nothing remains [j]for him to devour,
Therefore (W)his prosperity does not endure.
22 In the fullness of his excess he will be cramped;
The (X)hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.
23 When he (Y)fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And (Z)rain it on him [k]while he is eating.
24 He may (AA)flee from the iron weapon,
But the bronze bow will pierce him.
25 It is drawn and comes out of his back,
Even the flashing point from (AB)his gallbladder;
(AC)Terrors come upon him,
26 Complete (AD)darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,
And unfanned (AE)fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.
27 The (AF)heavens will reveal his guilt,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 The (AG)increase of his house will disappear;
His possessions will flow away (AH)on the day of His anger.
29 This is a wicked person’s (AI)portion from God,
The inheritance decreed to him by God.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 20:2 Lit return
  2. Job 20:2 Lit haste within me
  3. Job 20:6 Lit goes up to
  4. Job 20:10 Or seek the favor of
  5. Job 20:11 Lit on
  6. Job 20:13 Lit spares it
  7. Job 20:13 Lit palate
  8. Job 20:14 Lit gall
  9. Job 20:20 Lit in his belly
  10. Job 20:21 Or of what he devours
  11. Job 20:23 Or as his food

Nagsalita si Zofar

20 Pagkatapos, sumagot si Zofar na taga-Naama, “Kailangang magsalita na ako dahil hindi ako mapakali. Sinaway mo ako ng may halong pangungutya at may nag-uudyok sa isip kong ikaw ay sagutin.

“Tiyak na alam mo na mula pa noong unang panahon, simula nang likhain ang tao sa mundo, ang ligaya ng taong masama ay sandali lang. Totoong hindi nagtatagal ang kasiyahan ng taong hindi naniniwala sa Dios. Kahit na kasintaas ng langit at ulap ang tingin niya sa kanyang sarili, mawawala rin siya magpakailanman katulad ng kanyang dumi. Ang mga kakilala niyaʼy magtataka kung nasaan na siya. Mawawala siya na parang isang panaginip o pangitain sa gabi at hinding-hindi na matatagpuan. Hindi na siya makikita ng mga nakakakilala sa kanya at mawawala siya sa dati niyang tirahan. 10 Ang mga anak niya ang magbabayad ng mga ninakaw niya sa mga dukha. 11 Malakas at bata pa siyang mamamatay at ililibing.

12 “Ang paggawa niya ng masama ay parang pagkaing matamis sa kanyang bibig 13 na nginunguyang mabuti at ninanamnam. 14 Pero pagdating sa tiyan, ito ay nagiging maasim at lalason sa kanya na parang kamandag ng ahas. 15 Isusuka niyang parang pagkain ang kayamanang ninakaw niya. Ipapasuka ito ng Dios sa kanya kahit itoʼy nasa tiyan na niya. 16 Sisipsipin niya ang kamandag ng mga ahas at ang pangil[a] ng ahas ang papatay sa kanya. 17 Hindi na niya matitikman ang saganang langis, gatas, at ang pulot na dumadaloy na parang batis o ilog. 18 Hindi siya gagantimpalaan para sa kanyang pinaghirapan o matutuwa man sa kanyang kayamanan. 19 Sapagkat inapi niya at pinabayaan ang mga dukha, at inagaw ang mga bahay na hindi sa kanya.

20 “Hindi niya mapapakinabangan ang kanyang pinaghirapan. Lahat ng magugustuhan niya ay hindi makakaligtas sa kanya. 21 Wala ng matitira sa kanya na makakain niya dahil mawawala ang kanyang kayamanan. 22 Sa kanyang kasaganaan, darating sa kanya ang kahirapan. Labis na paghihirap nga ang darating sa kanya. 23 Bubusugin siya ng Dios ng paghihirap. Patitikimin siya ng Dios ng kanyang matinding galit, at pauulanan ng parusa. 24 Maaaring makatakas siya sa sandatang bakal pero tatamaan din siya ng panang tanso. 25 Tutusok ito sa kanyang apdo at tatagos sa kanyang katawan. At makakaramdam siya ng takot. 26 Mawawala ang kanyang kayamanan sa kadiliman. Susunugin siya ng apoy na hindi tao ang nagpaningas, pati na ang lahat ng naiwan sa kanyang tirahan.[b] 27 Ihahayag ng langit ang mga kasalanan niya at sasaksi naman ang lupa laban sa kanya. 28 Tatangayin ng baha ang bahay niya sa araw na ibuhos ng Dios ang kanyang galit. 29 Iyan ang kapalaran ng taong masama ayon sa itinakda ng Dios sa kanya.”

Footnotes

  1. 20:16 pangil: sa literal, dila.
  2. 20:26 tirahan: sa literal, tolda.

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