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.

“My troubled thoughts make me answer, because I have no rest inside.

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

I heard the strong words that take away my honor. The spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

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

Do you not know from long ago, since man was put on earth,

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

that the honor of the sinful is short, and the joy of the sinful lasts only a short time?

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

Even if his pride is as high as the heavens and his head touches the clouds,

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

he will be gone forever, like his own waste. 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 not be found. He will be driven away like a dream 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. His place will no longer see him.

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

His sons will look for the favor of the poor. And his hands will give back his riches.

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

His bones are full of the strength of the young, 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,

“Sin is sweet in his mouth. 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,

He hates to let it go, and holds it in his mouth.

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

Yet his food in his stomach is changed to the poison of snakes inside him.

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

He eats riches, but will spit them up. God will take them out of his stomach.

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

He will drink the poison of snakes. The snake’s tongue will kill him.

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

He will not look at the rivers, the rivers flowing with honey and milk.

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

He must return what he has worked for, and can not eat it. He will not have joy from the riches of his trading.

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 taken from the poor and left them with nothing. He has taken houses which he has not built.

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

“Because he thought he never had enough, he has nothing that gives him joy.

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

There was nothing more for him to get, so his having everything will not last.

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

Even when he has many riches, he will have trouble. Everyone who suffers will come against 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 fills his stomach, God will send His great anger on him. He will send it on him while he is eating.

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

He may get away from the iron sword, but the brass bow will shoot an arrow in him.

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

It cuts through his body and comes out of his back. The shining arrow comes out of his liver. Much fear comes 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.

Complete darkness is stored up for his riches. A fire not kept going by man will burn him up. It will destroy all that is left in his tent.

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

The heavens will make his sin known, and the earth will rise up against him.

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

The things of his house will be carried away. They will be taken away in the day of God’s anger.

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

This is what God has for sinful men. It is what God chooses to give to them.”