1 A nd Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2 T herefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.

Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and I make haste for this reason.

3 T he chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:

I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame, but out of my understanding my spirit answers me.

4 T his hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?

Do you not know from of old, since the time that man was placed on the earth,

5 T hat the singing of the wicked short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless and defiled is but for a moment?

6 T hough his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike --

Though his height mounts up to the heavens and his head reaches to the clouds,

7 A s his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: `Where he?'

Yet he will perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, Where is he?

8 A s a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,

He will fly away like a dream and will not be found; yes, he will be chased away as a vision of the night.

9 T he eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.

The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place any more behold him.

10 H is sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.

The poor will oppress his children, and his hands will give back his wealth.

11 H is bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

His bones are full of youthful energy, but it will lie down with him in the dust.

12 T hough he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,

Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue,

13 H ath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,

Though he is loath to let it go but keeps it still within his mouth,

14 H is food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps in his heart.

Yet his food turns in his stomach; it is the venom of asps within him.

15 W ealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.

He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.

16 G all of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.

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

17 H e looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.

He shall not look upon the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

18 H e is giving back he laboured for, And doth not consume; As a bulwark his exchange, and he exults not.

That which he labored for shall he give back and shall not swallow it down; according to his wealth shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice in it.

19 F or he oppressed -- he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.

For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has violently taken away a house which he did not build.

20 F or he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.

Because his desire and greed knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights.

21 T here is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.

There was nothing left that he did not devour; therefore his prosperity will not endure.

22 I n the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.

In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be poor and in straits; every hand of everyone who is in misery shall come upon him.

23 I t cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his eating.

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 H e fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.

He will flee from the iron weapon, but the bow of bronze shall strike him through.

25 O ne hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him terrors.

is drawn forth and it comes out after passing through his body; yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Terrors march in upon him;

26 A ll darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.

Every misfortune is laid up for his treasures. A fire not blown by man shall devour him; it shall consume what is left in his tent.

27 R eveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.

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

28 R emove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.

The produce and increase of his house will go into exile, dragged away in the day of wrath.

29 T his the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.

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