Zophar Says, “The Triumph of the Wicked Is Short”
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite [a]answered,
2 “Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me [b]respond,
Even because of my [c]inward agitation.
3 “I listened to (A)the reproof which insults me,
And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
4 “Do you know this from (B)of old,
From the establishment of man on earth,
5 That the (C)triumphing of the wicked is short,
And (D)the joy of the godless momentary?
6 “Though his loftiness [d](E)reaches the heavens,
And his head touches the clouds,
7 He (F)perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him (G)will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 “He flies away like a (H)dream, and they cannot find him;
Even like a vision of the night he is (I)chased away.
9 “The (J)eye which saw him sees him no longer,
And (K)his place no longer beholds him.
10 “His (L)sons [e]favor the poor,
And his hands (M)give back his wealth.
11 “His (N)bones are full of his youthful vigor,
But it lies down with him [f]in the dust.
12 “Though (O)evil is sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he [g]desires it and will not let it go,
But holds it (P)in his [h]mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach is changed
To the [i]venom of cobras within him.
15 “He swallows riches,
But will (Q)vomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.
16 “He sucks (R)the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue slays him.
17 “He does not look at (S)the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
18 “He (T)returns what he has attained
And cannot swallow it;
As to the riches of his trading,
He cannot even enjoy them.
19 “For he has (U)oppressed and forsaken the poor;
He has seized a house which he has not built.
20 “Because he knew no quiet [j]within him,
He does (V)not retain anything he desires.
21 “Nothing remains [k]for him to devour,
Therefore (W)his prosperity does not endure.
22 “In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped;
The (X)hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.
23 “When he (Y)fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And will (Z)rain it on him [l]while he is eating.
24 “He may (AA)flee from the iron weapon,
But the bronze bow will pierce him.
25 “It is drawn forth and comes out of his back,
Even the glittering point from (AB)his gall.
(AC)Terrors come upon him,
26 Complete (AD)darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,
And unfanned (AE)fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.
27 “The (AF)heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 “The (AG)increase of his house will depart;
His possessions will flow away (AH)in the day of His anger.
29 “This is the wicked man’s (AI)portion from God,
Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”
Footnotes
- Job 20:1 Lit answered and said
- Job 20:2 Lit return
- Job 20:2 Lit haste within me
- Job 20:6 Lit goes up to
- Job 20:10 Or seek the favor of
- Job 20:11 Lit on
- Job 20:13 Lit has compassion on
- Job 20:13 Lit palate
- Job 20:14 Lit gall
- Job 20:20 Lit in his belly
- Job 20:21 Or of what he devours
- Job 20:23 Or as his food
Cross references
- Job 20:3 : Job 19:3
- Job 20:4 : Job 8:8
- Job 20:5 : Job 8:12, 13; Ps 37:35, 36
- Job 20:5 : Job 8:13
- Job 20:6 : Is 14:13, 14; Obad 3, 4
- Job 20:7 : Job 4:20; 14:20
- Job 20:7 : Job 7:10; 8:18
- Job 20:8 : Ps 73:20; 90:5
- Job 20:8 : Job 18:18; 27:21-23
- Job 20:9 : Job 7:8; 8:18
- Job 20:9 : Job 7:10
- Job 20:10 : Job 5:4; 27:14
- Job 20:10 : Job 20:18; 27:16, 17
- Job 20:11 : Job 21:23, 24
- Job 20:12 : Job 15:16
- Job 20:13 : Num 11:18-20, 33; Job 20:23
- Job 20:15 : Job 20:10, 20, 21
- Job 20:16 : Deut 32:24, 33
- Job 20:17 : Deut 32:13, 14; Job 29:6
- Job 20:18 : Job 20:10, 15
- Job 20:19 : Job 24:2-4; 35:9
- Job 20:20 : Eccl 5:13-15
- Job 20:21 : Job 15:29
- Job 20:22 : Job 5:5
- Job 20:23 : Job 20:13, 14
- Job 20:23 : Num 11:18-20, 33; Ps 78:30, 31
- Job 20:24 : Is 24:18; Amos 5:19
- Job 20:25 : Job 16:13
- Job 20:25 : Job 18:11, 14
- Job 20:26 : Job 18:18
- Job 20:26 : Job 15:30; Ps 21:9
- Job 20:27 : Deut 31:28; Is 26:21
- Job 20:28 : Deut 28:31
- Job 20:28 : Job 20:15; 21:30
- Job 20:29 : Job 27:13; 31:2, 3