Job 20 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

Zophar Speaks: The Wicked Will Suffer

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said: (Job 2:11) 2 “Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me. (Job 4:13) 3 I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me. 4 Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth, (De 4:32) 5 that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment? (Ps 37:35) 6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds, (Isa 14:13; Ob 1:3) 7 he will perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ (1Ki 14:10; 2Ki 9:37; Job 14:10; Ps 83:10; Zep 1:17)

1Ki 14:102Ki 9:37Job 14:10Ps 83:10Zep 1:17

8 He will fly away like a dream and not be found; he will be chased away like a vision of the night. (Ps 73:20; Ps 90:5; Isa 29:7) 9 The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him. (Job 7:8; Job 7:10) 10 His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth. (Job 20:18) 11 His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in the dust. (Job 13:26; Job 21:26; Ps 25:7) 12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue, (Ps 10:7) 13 though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth, 14 yet his food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him. (De 32:33; Ps 140:3) 15 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly. 16 He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him. (Pr 23:32; Isa 59:5) 17 He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds. (De 32:13; Job 29:6; Ps 36:8; Jer 17:6)

De 32:13Job 29:6Ps 36:8Jer 17:6

18 He will give back the fruit of his toil and will not swallow it down; from the profit of his trading he will get no enjoyment. (Job 20:10; Job 20:15) 19 For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build. 20 “Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him. (Pr 17:1; Ec 5:13; Isa 59:8) 21 There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore his prosperity will not endure. 22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him. 23 To fill his belly to the full, God^[1] will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body. (Nu 11:33; Ps 78:30) 24 He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through. (Jud 5:26; 2Sa 22:35; Isa 24:18; Jer 48:44; Am 5:19)

Jud 5:262Sa 22:35Isa 24:18Jer 48:44Am 5:19

25 It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; terrors come upon him. (De 32:41; Jud 3:22; Job 16:13; Job 18:11)

De 32:41Jud 3:22Job 16:13Job 18:11

26 Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; what is left in his tent will be consumed. (Job 15:34; Ps 21:9) 27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him. (Job 16:18) 28 The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God’s^[2] wrath. 29 This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God.” (Job 18:21; Job 27:13; Job 31:2)

New International Version

from Biblica

Zophar

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: 2 ‘My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer because I am greatly disturbed. 3 I hear a rebuke that dishonours me, and my understanding inspires me to reply. 4 ‘Surely you know how it has been from of old, ever since mankind^[1] was placed on the earth, 5 that the mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment. 6 Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds, 7 he will perish for ever, like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, “Where is he?” 8 Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found, banished like a vision of the night. 9 The eye that saw him will not see him again; his place will look on him no more. 10 His children must make amends to the poor; his own hands must give back his wealth. 11 The youthful vigour that fills his bones will lie with him in the dust. 12 ‘Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue, 13 though he cannot bear to let it go and lets it linger in his mouth, 14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of serpents within him. 15 He will spit out the riches he swallowed; God will make his stomach vomit them up. 16 He will suck the poison of serpents; the fangs of an adder will kill him. 17 He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream. 18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten; he will not enjoy the profit from his trading. 19 For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute; he has seized houses he did not build. 20 ‘Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. 21 Nothing is left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure. 22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full force of misery will come upon him. 23 When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows on him. 24 Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him. 25 He pulls it out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver. Terrors will come over him; 26 total darkness lies in wait for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent. 27 The heavens will expose his guilt; the earth will rise up against him. 28 A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters^[2] on the day of God’s wrath. 29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked, the heritage appointed for them by God.’

King James Version

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste. 3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. 4 Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, 5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? 6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; 7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which 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 also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him. 10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods. 11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which 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 forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth: 14 Yet his meat 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 shall cast them out of his belly. 16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper' tongue shall slay him. 17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter. 18 That 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 . 19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; 20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired. 21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods. 22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him. 23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating. 24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. 25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him. 26 All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle. 27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him. 28 The increase of his house shall depart, and 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.

New International Reader’s Version

from Biblica

The second speech of Zophar

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied, 2 ‘My troubled thoughts force me to answer you. That’s because I’m very upset. 3 What you have just said dishonours me. So I really have to reply to you. 4 ‘I’m sure you must know how things have always been. They’ve been that way ever since human beings were placed on this earth. 5 Those who are evil are happy for only a short time. The joy of ungodly people lasts only for a moment. 6 Their pride might reach all the way up to the heavens. Their heads might touch the clouds. 7 But they will disappear for ever, like the waste from their own bodies. Anyone who has seen them will say, “Where did they go?” 8 Like a dream they will fly away. They will never be seen again. They will be driven away like visions in the night. 9 The eyes that saw them won’t see them anymore. Even their own families won’t remember them. 10 Their children must pay back what they took from poor people. Their own hands must give back the wealth they stole. 11 They might feel young and very strong. But they will soon lie down in the dust of their graves. 12 ‘Anything that is evil tastes sweet to them. They keep it under their tongues for a while. 13 They can’t stand to let it go. So they hold it in their mouths. 14 But their food will turn sour in their stomachs. It will become like the poison of a snake inside them. 15 They will spit out the rich food they swallowed. God will make their stomachs throw it up. 16 They will suck the poison of a snake. The fangs of an adder will kill them. 17 They won’t enjoy streams that flow with honey. They won’t enjoy rivers that flow with cream. 18 What they worked for they must give back before they can eat it. They won’t enjoy what they have earned. 19 They’ve crushed poor people and left them with nothing. They’ve taken over houses they didn’t even build. 20 ‘No matter how much they have, they always long for more. But their treasure can’t save them. 21 There isn’t anything left for them to eat up. Their success won’t last. 22 While they are enjoying the good life, trouble will catch up with them. Terrible suffering will come on them. 23 When they’ve filled their stomachs, God will pour out his great anger on them. He’ll strike them down with blow after blow. 24 They might run away from iron weapons. But arrows that have bronze tips will wound them. 25 They will pull the arrows out of their backs. They will remove the shining tips from their livers. They will be filled with terror. 26 Total darkness hides and waits for their treasures. God will send a fire that will destroy them. It will burn up everything that’s left in their tents. 27 Heaven will show their guilt to everyone. The earth will be a witness against them. 28 A flood will carry their houses away. Rushing water will wash them away on the day when God judges. 29 Now you know what God will do to sinful people. Now you know what he has planned for them.’