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Job 20 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Zophar Says the Rejoicing of the Wicked Is Short

Job 20:1

Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,

Job 20:2

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

Even because of my [fn]inward agitation.

Job 20:3

“I listened to the reprimand which insults me,

And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

Job 20:4

“Do you know this from ancient times,

From the establishment of mankind on earth,

Job 20:5

That the rejoicing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the godless momentary?

Job 20:6

“Though his arrogance [fn]reaches 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;

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 [fn]favor the poor,

And his hands give back his wealth.

Job 20:11

“His bones are full of his youthful strength,

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

Job 20:12

“Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth

And he hides it under his tongue,

Job 20:13

Though he [fn]desires it and will not let it go,

But holds it in his [fn]mouth,

Job 20:14

Yet his food in his stomach is changed

To the [fn]venom of cobras within him.

Job 20:15

“He swallows riches,

But will vomit them up;

God will expel them 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 the product of his labor

And cannot swallow it;

As to the riches of his trading,

He cannot even enjoy them.

Job 20:19

“For he has oppressed and neglected the poor;

He has seized a house which he has not built.

Job 20:20

“Because he knew no quiet [fn]within him,

He does not retain anything he desires.

Job 20:21

“Nothing remains [fn]for him to devour,

Therefore his prosperity does not endure.

Job 20:22

“In the fullness of his excess he will be cramped;

The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

Job 20:23

“When he fills his belly,

God will send His fierce anger on him

And 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 and comes out of his back,

Even the flashing point from his gallbladder;

Terrors come upon him,

Job 20:26

Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,

And unfanned fire will devour him;

It will consume the survivor in his tent.

Job 20:27

“The heavens will reveal his guilt,

And the earth will rise up against him.

Job 20:28

“The increase of his house will disappear;

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

Job 20:29

“This is a wicked person’s portion from God,

The inheritance decreed to him by God.”

NASB20 Footnotes
Lit return
Lit haste within me
Lit goes up to
Or seek the favor of
Lit on
Lit spares it
Lit palate
Lit gall
Lit in his belly
Or of what he devours
Or as his food
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New American Standard Bible 2020
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