Job 20

Zophar Says the Rejoicing of the Wicked Is Short

1Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,2“Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me 1respond, Even because of my 2inward agitation.3I listened to 3the reprimand which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.4Do you know this from 4ancient times, From the establishment of mankind on earth,5That the 5rejoicing of the wicked is short, And 6the joy of the godless momentary?6Though his arrogance 78reaches the heavens, And his head touches the clouds,7He 9perishes forever like his refuse; Those who have seen him 10will say, ‘Where is he?’8He flies away like a 11dream, and they cannot find him; Like a vision of the night he is 12chased away.9The 13eye which saw him sees him no longer, And 14his place no longer beholds him.10His 15sons 16favor the poor, And his hands 17give back his wealth.11His 18bones are full of his youthful strength, But it lies down with him 19in the dust.

12“Though 20evil tastes sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,13Though he 21desires it and will not let it go, But holds it 22in his 23mouth,14Yet his food in his stomach is changed To the 24venom of cobras within him.15He swallows riches, But will 25vomit them up; God will expel them from his belly.16He sucks 26the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue kills him.17He does not look at 27the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and curds.18He 28returns the product of his labor And cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them.19For he has 29oppressed and neglected the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.

20“Because he knew no quiet 30within him, He does 31not retain anything he desires.21Nothing remains 32for him to devour, Therefore 33his prosperity does not endure.22In the fullness of his excess he will be cramped; The 34hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.23When he 35fills his belly, God will send His fierce anger on him And 36rain it on him 37while he is eating.24He may 38flee from the iron weapon, But the bronze bow will pierce him.25It is drawn and comes out of his back, Even the flashing point from 39his gallbladder; 40Terrors come upon him,26Complete 41darkness is held in reserve for his treasures, And unfanned 42fire will devour him; It will consume the survivor in his tent.27The 43heavens will reveal his guilt, And the earth will rise up against him.28The 44increase of his house will disappear; His possessions will flow away 45on the day of His anger.29This is a wicked person’s 46portion from God, The inheritance decreed to him by God.”