^{1 Ref} Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

^{2 Ref} Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason of my haste that is in me.

^{3 Ref} I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.

^{4 Ref} Knowest thou `not' this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,

^{5 Ref} That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless but for a moment?

^{6 Ref} Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds;

^{7 Ref} Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?

^{8 Ref} He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

^{9 Ref} The eye which saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more behold him.

^{10 Ref} His children shall seek the favor of the poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth.

^{11 Ref} His bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the dust.

^{12 Ref} Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,

^{13 Ref} Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;

^{14 Ref} Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him.

^{15 Ref} He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.

^{16 Ref} He shall suck the poison of asps: The viper's tongue shall slay him.

^{17 Ref} He shall not look upon the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter.

^{18 Ref} That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.

^{19 Ref} For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

^{20 Ref} Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.

^{21 Ref} There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

^{22 Ref} In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.

^{23 Ref} When he is about to fill his belly, `God' will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, And will rain it upon him while he is eating.

^{24 Ref} He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through.

^{25 Ref} He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.

^{26 Ref} All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown `by man' shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

^{27 Ref} The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him.

^{28 Ref} The increase of his house shall depart; `His goods' shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

^{29 Ref} This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the heritage appointed unto him by God.

^{1 Ref} And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --

^{2 Ref} Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.

^{3 Ref} The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:

^{4 Ref} This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?

^{5 Ref} That the singing of the wicked `is' short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

^{6 Ref} Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike --

^{7 Ref} As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: `Where `is' he?'

^{8 Ref} As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,

^{9 Ref} The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.

^{10 Ref} His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.

^{11 Ref} His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

^{12 Ref} Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,

^{13 Ref} Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,

^{14 Ref} His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps `is' in his heart.

^{15 Ref} Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.

^{16 Ref} Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.

^{17 Ref} He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.

^{18 Ref} He is giving back `what' he laboured for, And doth not consume `it'; As a bulwark `is' his exchange, and he exults not.

^{19 Ref} For he oppressed -- he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.

^{20 Ref} For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.

^{21 Ref} There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.

^{22 Ref} In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.

^{23 Ref} It cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his eating.

^{24 Ref} He fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.

^{25 Ref} One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him `are' terrors.

^{26 Ref} All darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.

^{27 Ref} Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.

^{28 Ref} Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.

^{29 Ref} This `is' the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.