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Job 20
Living Bible
Job 20
Living Bible
20 The speech of Zophar the Naamathite:
2 “I hasten to reply, for I have the answer for you. 3 You have tried to make me feel ashamed of myself for calling you a sinner, but my spirit won’t let me stop.
4 “Don’t you realize that ever since man was first placed upon the earth, 5 the triumph of the wicked has been short-lived, and the joy of the godless but for a moment? 6 Though the godless be proud as the heavens and walk with his nose in the air, 7 yet he shall perish forever, cast away like his own dung. Those who knew him will wonder where he has gone. 8 He will fade like a dream. 9 Neither his friends nor his family will ever see him again.
10 “His children shall beg from the poor, their hard labor shall repay his debts. 11 Though still a young man, his bones shall lie in the dust.
12 “He enjoyed the taste of his wickedness, letting it melt in his mouth, 13 sipping it slowly, lest it disappear.
14 “But suddenly the food he has eaten turns sour within him. 15 He will vomit the plunder he gorged. God won’t let him keep it down. 16 It is like poison and death to him. 17 He shall not enjoy the goods he stole; they will not be butter and honey to him after all. 18 His labors shall not be rewarded; wealth will give him no joy. 19 For he has oppressed the poor and foreclosed their homes; he will never recover. 20 Though he was always greedy, now he has nothing; of all the things he dreamed of—none remain. 21 Because he stole at every opportunity, his prosperity shall not continue.
22 “He shall run into trouble at the peak of his powers; all the wicked shall destroy him. 23 Just as he is about to fill his belly, God will rain down wrath upon him. 24 He will be chased and struck down. 25 The arrow is pulled from his body—and the glittering point comes out from his gall. The terrors of death are upon him.
26 “His treasures will be lost in deepest darkness. A raging fire will devour his goods, consuming all he has left. 27 The heavens will reveal his sins, and the earth will give testimony against him. 28 His wealth will disappear beneath the wrath of God. 29 This is what awaits the wicked man, for God prepares it for him.”
Job 20
New International Version
Job 20
New International Version
Zophar
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:
2 “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.(B)
3 I hear a rebuke(C) that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4 “Surely you know how it has been from of old,(D)
ever since mankind[a] was placed on the earth,
5 that the mirth of the wicked(E) is brief,
the joy of the godless(F) lasts but a moment.(G)
6 Though the pride(H) of the godless person reaches to the heavens(I)
and his head touches the clouds,(J)
7 he will perish forever,(K) like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’(L)
8 Like a dream(M) he flies away,(N) no more to be found,
banished(O) like a vision of the night.(P)
9 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)
Living Bible (TLB)
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.