1 T hen answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2 T herefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

“Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond, Even because of my inward agitation.

3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

“I listened to the reproof which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

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

“Do you know this from of old, From the establishment of man on earth,

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

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless momentary?

6 T hough his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;

“Though his loftiness reaches the heavens, And his head touches the clouds,

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

He perishes forever like his refuse; Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

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

“He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him; Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.

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

“The eye which saw him sees him no longer, And his place no longer beholds him.

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

“His sons favor the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.

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

“His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it lies down with him in the dust.

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

“Though evil is sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,

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

Though he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth,

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

Yet his food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him.

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

“He swallows riches, But will vomit them up; God will expel them from his belly.

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

“He sucks the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue slays him.

17 H e shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

“He does not look at the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and curds.

18 T hat 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.

“He returns what he has attained And cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them.

19 B ecause he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

“For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.

20 s urely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

“Because he knew no quiet within him, He does not retain anything he desires.

21 T here shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

“Nothing remains for him to devour, Therefore his prosperity does not endure.

22 I n the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

“In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped; The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

23 W hen 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.

“When he fills his belly, God will send His fierce anger on him And will rain it on him while he is eating.

24 H e shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.

“He may flee from the iron weapon, But the bronze bow will pierce him.

25 I t is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

“It is drawn forth and comes out of his back, Even the glittering point from his gall. Terrors come upon him,

26 A ll 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.

Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures, And unfanned fire will devour him; It will consume the survivor in his tent.

27 T he heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

“The heavens will reveal his iniquity, And the earth will rise up against him.

28 T he increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

“The increase of his house will depart; His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.

29 T his is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.

“This is the wicked man’s portion from God, Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”