Job 20:4-18

4Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?1

6Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;2

7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

9The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

10His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.3

11His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;

13Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:4

14Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.

15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

16He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper’s tongue shall slay him.

17He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.5

18That 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.6