Job 20

1. And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

2. “Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, even because of my inner turmoil.

3. I have heard the rebuke which puts me to shame, and the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.

4. Do you not know this from days of old, since man was placed upon earth,

5. That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is for a moment?

6. Though his excellency mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds,

7. He shall perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him shall say, ‘Where is he?’

8. He shall fly away like a dream, and shall not be found, yea, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night.

9. The eye also which saw him, shall see him no more; yea, neither shall his place see him any longer.

10. His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall give back his wealth.

11. His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it shall lie down with him in the dust.

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

13. Though he desires it and will not let it go; but, keeps it still within his mouth;

14. Yet his food in his belly shall be turned and become the gall of asps within him.

15. He has swallowed riches, but he shall vomit them up again; God shall cast them out of his belly.

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

17. He shall not see the rivers, the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter,

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

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

20. Surely he did not know rest in his heart; that in which he delights, he will not save anything.

21. There was nothing left for him to devour. Therefore, his prosperity shall not endure.

22. In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in trouble; every hand of the wicked shall come against him.

23. When he is filling his belly, God shall cast the fury of His wrath upon him, and He shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

24. If he shall flee from the iron weapon, a bow of bronze shall pierce him through.

25. It will be pulled and come out of his body, yea, the glittering sword comes out of his gall; terrors come upon him.

26. All darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not blown by man shall consume him; those left in his tabernacle shall be broken.

27. The heavens 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 his heritage decreed by God.”