The Book of Job

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- Kapitel 20 -

Zophar's proclamation about the wicked

Then Sophar the Naamathite answered, and said:

Therefore various thoughts succeed one another in me, and my mind is hurried away to different things.

The doctrine with which thou reprovest me, I will hear, and the spirit of my understanding shall answer for me.

This I know from the beginning, since man was placed upon the earth,

That the praise of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment.

If his pride mount up even to heaven, and his head touch the clouds:

In the end he shall be destroyed like a dunghill, and they that has seen him shall say: Where is he?

As a dream that fleeth away he shall not be found, he shall pass as a vision of the night:

The eyes that had seen him, shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more behold him.

His children shall be oppressed with want, and his hands shall render him his sorrow.

His bones shall be filled with the vices of his youth, and they shall sleep with him in the dust.

For when evil shall be sweet in his mouth, he will hide it under his tongue.

He will spare it, and not leave it, and will hide it in his throat.

His bread in his belly shall be turned into the gall of asps within him.

The riches which he hath swallowed; he shall vomit up, and God shall draw them out of his belly.

He shall suck the head of asps, and the viper’s tongue shall kill him.

(Let him not see the streams of the river, the brooks of honey and of butter.)

He shall be punished for all that he did, and yet shall not be consumed: according to the multitude of his devices so also shall he suffer.

Because he broke in and stripped the poor: he hath violently taken away a house which he did not build.

And yet his belly was not filled: and when he hath the things he coveted, he shall not be able to possess them.

There was nothing left of his meat, and therefore nothing shall continue of his goods:

When he shall be filled, he shall be straitened, he shall burn, and every sorrow shall fall upon him.

May his belly be filled, that God may send forth the wrath of his indignation upon him, and rain down his war upon him.

He shall flee from weapons of iron, and shall fall upon a bow of brass.

The sword is drawn out, and cometh forth from its scabbard, and glittereth in his bitterness: the terrible ones shall go and come upon him.

All darkness is hid in his secret places: a fire that is not kindled shall devour him, he shall be afflicted when left in his tabernacle.

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

The offspring of his house shall be exposed, he shall be pulled down in the day of God’s wrath.

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the inheritance of his doings from the Lord.

Zophar's proclamation about the wicked

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

“Therefore my thoughts answer me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.

I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.

Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,

that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?

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

yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

He will fly away as a dream, and will not be found. Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place see him any more.

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

His bones are full of his youth, but youth will lie down with him in the dust.

“Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth,

yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.

He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

He will suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue will kill him.

He will not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

He will restore that for which he labored, and will not swallow it down. He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.

For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.

“Because he knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights.

There was nothing left that he didn’t devour, therefore his prosperity will not endure.

In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.

When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.

He will flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow will strike him through.

He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.

All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire will devour him. It will consume that which is left in his tent.

The heavens will reveal his iniquity. The earth will rise up against him.

The increase of his house will depart. They will rush away in the day of his wrath.

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”