^{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.

^{1 Ref} Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

^{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 puts me to shame; The spirit of my understanding answers me.

^{4 Ref} Don't you know this from old time, Since man was placed on earth,

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

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

^{7 Ref} Yet he shall perish forever like his own dung, Those who have seen him shall say, 'Where is he?'

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

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

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

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

^{12 Ref} "Though wickedness is 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 cobra venom within him.

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

^{16 Ref} He shall suck cobra venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him.

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

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

^{19 Ref} For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has 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 anything of that in which he delights.

^{21 Ref} There was nothing left that he didn't devour, Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

^{22 Ref} In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him: The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.

^{23 Ref} 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.

^{24 Ref} He shall flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow shall strike him through.

^{25 Ref} He draws it forth, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.

^{26 Ref} All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

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

^{28 Ref} The increase of his house shall depart; They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.

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

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

^{2 Ref} Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

^{3 Ref} I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

^{4 Ref} Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

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

^{6 Ref} Though his excellency 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 which 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 also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

^{10 Ref} His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

^{11 Ref} His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which 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 forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:

^{14 Ref} Yet his meat 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 shall 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 see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

^{18 Ref} That 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.

^{19 Ref} Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

^{20 Ref} Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

^{21 Ref} There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

^{22 Ref} In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

^{23 Ref} When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

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

^{25 Ref} It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

^{26 Ref} All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

^{27 Ref} The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

^{28 Ref} The increase of his house shall depart, and 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.