Job 20

¹ Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

² Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason of my haste that is in me.

³ I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.

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

⁵ That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless but for a moment?

⁶ Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds;

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

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

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

¹⁰ His children shall seek the favor of the poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth.

¹¹ His bones are full of his youth, But it 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 will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;

¹⁴ Yet his food 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 will 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 look upon the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter.

¹⁸ That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.

¹⁹ For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

²⁰ Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.

²¹ There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

²² In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.

²³ When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, And will rain it upon him while he is eating.

²⁴ He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through.

²⁵ He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.

²⁶ All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown by man shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

²⁷ The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him.

²⁸ The increase of his house shall depart; 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.