Job 20:1-18
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 20
1Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,
2'Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond, Even because of my inward agitation.
3I listened to the reprimand which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
4Do you know this from ancient times, From the establishment of mankind on earth,
5That the rejoicing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless momentary?
6Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, And his head touches the clouds,
7He perishes forever like his refuse; Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him; Like a vision of the night he is chased away.
9The eye which saw him sees him no longer, And his place no longer beholds him.
10His sons favor the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.
11His bones are full of his youthful strength, But it lies down with him in the dust.
12'Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him.
15He swallows riches, But will vomit them up; God will expel them from his belly.
16He sucks the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue kills him.
17He does not look at the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
18He returns the product of his labor And cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them.
King James Version
Chapter 20
1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 2Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste. 3I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. 4Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, 5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? 6Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; 7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? 8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night. 9The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
10His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
11His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
13Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
14Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
16He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.
17He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
18That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 20
1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
3I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding makes me reply.
4Don't you know that ever since antiquity, from the time a human was placed on earth,
5the joy of the wicked has been brief and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?
6Though his arrogance reaches heaven, and his head touches the clouds,
7he will vanish forever like his own dung. Those who know him will ask, "Where is he? "
8He will fly away like a dream and never be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.
9The eye that saw him will see him no more, and his household will no longer see him.
10His children will beg from the poor, for his own hands must give back his wealth.
11His frame may be full of youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in dust.
12Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,
13though he cherishes it and will not let it go but keeps it in his mouth,
14yet the food in his stomach turns into cobras' venom inside him.
15He swallows wealth but must vomit it up; God will force it from his stomach.
16He will suck the poison of cobras; a viper's fangs will kill him.
17He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and curds.
18He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he doesn't enjoy the profits from his trading.
New Living Translation
Chapter 20
1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
2'I must reply because I am greatly disturbed.
3I’ve had to endure your insults, but now my spirit prompts me to reply.
4'Don’t you realize that from the beginning of time, ever since people were first placed on the earth,
5the triumph of the wicked has been short lived and the joy of the godless has been only temporary?
6Though the pride of the godless reaches to the heavens and their heads touch the clouds,
7yet they will vanish forever, thrown away like their own dung. Those who knew them will ask, ‘Where are they?’
8They will fade like a dream and not be found. They will vanish like a vision in the night.
9Those who once saw them will see them no more. Their families will never see them again.
10Their children will beg from the poor, for they must give back their stolen riches.
11Though they are young, their bones will lie in the dust.
12'They enjoyed the sweet taste of wickedness, letting it melt under their tongue.
13They savored it, holding it long in their mouths.
14But suddenly the food in their bellies turns sour, a poisonous venom in their stomach.
15They will vomit the wealth they swallowed. God won’t let them keep it down.
16They will suck the poison of cobras. The viper will kill them.
17They will never again enjoy streams of olive oil or rivers of milk and honey.
18They will give back everything they worked for. Their wealth will bring them no joy.
English Standard Version
2“Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me.
3I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
4Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth,
5that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
7he will perish forever like his own dung; 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.
9The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him.
10His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth.
11His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in the dust.
12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue,
13though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth,
14yet his food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him.
15He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly.
16He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him.
17He will not look upon the rivers, the streams 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.
New International Version
Chapter 20
1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
3I hear a rebuke that dishonors me, and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4Surely you know how it has been from of old, ever since mankind was placed on the earth,
5that the mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.
6Though the pride of the godless person reaches to 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?'
8Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found, banished like a vision of the night.
9The eye that saw him will not see him again; his place will look on him no more.
10His children must make amends to the poor; his own hands must give back his wealth.
11The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie with him in the dust.
12Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue,
13though he cannot bear to let it go and lets it linger in his mouth,
14yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of serpents within him.
15He will spit out the riches he swallowed; God will make his stomach vomit them up.
16He will suck the poison of serpents; the fangs of an adder will kill him.
17He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18What he toiled for he must give back uneaten; he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.
New King James Version
2“Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer, Because of the turmoil within me.
3I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me, And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
4“Do you not know this of old, Since man was placed on earth,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?
6 Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens, And his head reaches to the clouds,
7 Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse; Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8He will fly away like a dream, and not be found; Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9The eye that saw him will see him no more, Nor will his place behold him anymore.
10His children will seek the favor of the poor, And his hands will restore his wealth.
11His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it will lie down with him in the dust.
12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he spares it and does not forsake it, But still keeps it in his mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach turns sour; It becomes cobra venom within him.
15He swallows down riches And vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly.
16He will suck the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue will slay him.
17He will not see the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18He will restore that for which he labored, And will not swallow it down; From the proceeds of business He will get no enjoyment.
