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Job 20 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Zophar Says the Joy of the Wicked Is Short

Job 20:1

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

Job 20:2

“Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me [fn]respond,

Even because of my haste within me.

Job 20:3

“I listened to the discipline which dishonors me,

And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

Job 20:4

“Do you know this from of old,

From the establishment of man on earth,

Job 20:5

That the shouts of joy of the wicked are short,

And the gladness of the godless momentary?

Job 20:6

“Though his loftiness goes up to the heavens,

And his head touches the clouds,

Job 20:7

He perishes forever like his refuse;

Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

Job 20:8

“He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him;

Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.

Job 20:9

“The eye which saw him sees him no longer,

And his place no longer beholds him.

Job 20:10

“His sons seek the favor of the poor,

And his hands give back his wealth.

Job 20:11

“His bones are full of his youthful vigor,

But it lies down with him [fn]in the dust.

Job 20:12

“Though evil is sweet in his mouth

And he hides it under his tongue,

Job 20:13

Though he [fn]desires it and will not forsake it,

And holds it to his palate,

Job 20:14

Yet his food in his stomach is changed

To the [fn]venom of cobras within him.

Job 20:15

“He swallows up wealth,

But will vomit it up;

God will expel it from his belly.

Job 20:16

“He sucks the poison of cobras;

The viper’s tongue kills him.

Job 20:17

“He does not look at the streams,

The rivers flowing with honey and curds.

Job 20:18

“He returns what he has attained

And cannot swallow it;

As to the wealth of his trading,

He cannot even enjoy it.

Job 20:19

“For he has crushed and forsaken the poor;

He has seized a house which he has not built.

Job 20:20

“Because he knew no ease within his belly,

In his covetousness, he does not let anything escape.

Job 20:21

“Nothing remains [fn]for him to devour;

Therefore his prosperity does not endure.

Job 20:22

“In the fullness of his plenty he will be confined;

The hand of everyone who is troubled will come against him.

Job 20:23

“So it will be that he fills his belly,

And God will send His burning anger on him

And will rain it on him [fn]while he is eating.

Job 20:24

“He may flee from the iron weapon,

But the bronze bow will pierce him.

Job 20:25

“It is drawn forth and comes out of his back,

Even the glittering point from his gall;

Bouts of dread come upon him.

Job 20:26

Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures;

A fire unfanned will devour him;

It will consume the survivor in his tent.

Job 20:27

“The heavens will reveal his iniquity,

And the earth will rise up against him.

Job 20:28

“The increase of his house will depart;

His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.

Job 20:29

“This is the wicked man’s portion from God,

Even the inheritance decreed to him by God.”

LSB Footnotes
Lit return
Lit on
Lit has compassion on
Lit gall
Or of what he devours
Or as his food
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Job Chapter 20 — Additional Translations: