1 T hen Zophar the Naamathite answered,

And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

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

Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.

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

I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and spirit answereth me by mine understanding.

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

Knowest thou this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,

5 T hat the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless momentary?

The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?

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

Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds,

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

Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

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

He flieth away as a dream, and is not found; and is chased away as a vision of the night.

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

The eye which saw him shall not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.

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

His children shall seek the favour of the poor, and his hands restore his wealth.

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

His bones were full of his youthful strength; but it shall lie down with him in the dust.

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

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

13 T hough he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth,

he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it within his mouth,

14 Y et his food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him.

His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.

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

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

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

He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall kill him.

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

He shall not see streams, rivers, brooks of honey and butter.

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

That which he laboured for shall he restore, and not swallow down; its restitution shall be according to the value, and he shall not rejoice.

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

For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.

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

Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.

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

Nothing escaped his greediness; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

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

In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.

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

It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will cast his fierce anger upon him, and will rain it upon him into his flesh.

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

If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.

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

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

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

All darkness is laid up for his treasures: a fire not blown shall devour him; it shall feed upon what is left in his tent.

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

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

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

The increase of his house shall depart, flowing away in the day of his anger.

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

This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.