English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2“Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me.

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

3I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.

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

4Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth,

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

5that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?

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

6Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,

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

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

7He perishes forever like his refuse; Those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'

8He will fly away like a dream and not be found; he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

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

9The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him.

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

10His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth.

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

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

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

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

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

13though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth,

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

14yet his food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him.

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

15He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly.

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

16He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him.

16"He sucks the poison of cobras; The viper's tongue slays him.

17He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds.

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

18He will give back the fruit of his toil and will not swallow it down; from the profit of his trading he will get no enjoyment.

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

19For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build.

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

20“Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.

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

21There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore his prosperity will not endure.

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

22In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.

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

23To fill his belly to the full, God will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body.

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

24He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through.

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

25It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; terrors come upon him.

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

26Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; what is left in his tent will be consumed.

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

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

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

28The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God’s wrath.

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

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

29"This is the wicked man's portion from God, Even the heritage decreed to him by God."

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