12 Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth
and he conceals it under his tongue,
13 though he cherishes it and will not let it go
but keeps it in his mouth,(A)
14 yet the food in his stomach turns
into cobras’ venom inside him.
15 He swallows wealth but must vomit it up;
God will force it from his stomach.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
a viper’s fangs[a] will kill him.(B)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers flowing with honey and curds.(C)
18 He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it;
he doesn’t enjoy the profits from his trading.
19 For he oppressed and abandoned the poor;
he seized a house he did not build.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 20:16 Lit tongue

12 “Though wickedness tastes sweet in his mouth,
and he hides it under his tongue,
13 though he spares it and does not let it go
and holds it back in the midst of his palate,
14 in his bowels his food is turned,
the venom of horned vipers is within him.[a]
15 He swallows riches, but[b] he vomits them[c] up;
God drives them[d] out from his stomach.
16 He will suck the poison of horned vipers;
the viper’s tongue will kill him.
17 He will not enjoy the streams,[e]
the torrents of honey and curds.
18 Returning the products of his toil, he will not swallow;[f]
according to the profit of his trade, he will not enjoy,[g]
19 for he has oppressed; he has abandoned the poor;
he has seized a house but[h] did not build it.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 20:14 Literally “in his entrails”
  2. Job 20:15 Hebrew “and”
  3. Job 20:15 Hebrew “it”
  4. Job 20:15 Hebrew “it”
  5. Job 20:17 Literally “He will not look on streams”
  6. Job 20:18 Hebrew “and he will not swallow”
  7. Job 20:18 Literally “and he will not taste”
  8. Job 20:19 Or “and”