Zophar: Destruction Awaits the Wicked

1Then answered Sophar the Naamathite, and sayde:

2For the same cause do my thoughtes compell me to answere. And why? my mynde is tossed here and there.

3I haue sufficiently herde the checkynge & reprofe, therfore am I purposed to make answere after my vnderstodinge.

4Knowest thou not this, namely: that from the begynninge (euer sence the creacion of man vpon earth)

5the prayse of the vngodly hath bene shorte, and that the ioye of Ypocrytes continued but ye twincklinge of an eye?

6Though he be magnified vp to the heaue, so that his heade reacheth vnto the cloudes:

7yet he perisheth at the last like donge: In so moch yt they which haue sene him, saye: Where is he?

8He vanysheth as a dreame, so that he can nomore be founde, & passeth awaye as a vision in ye night.

9So that the eye which sawe him before, getteth now no sight of him, & his place knoweth him nomore.

10His childre go a begginge, their handes bringe the to sorow and heuynesse.

11From his youth his bones are ful of vyce, which shal lie downe wt him in ye earth.

12Whe wickednesse is swete in his mouth, he hydeth it vnder his tonge.

13That he fauoureth, that wyll he not forsake, but kepeth it close in his throte.

14The meate that he eateth, shalbe turned to the poyson of serpetes within his body.

15The riches yt he deuoureth, shall he perbreake agayne, for God shal drawe them out of his bely.

16The serpentes heade shall sucke him, and the adders tonge shall slaye him:

17so that he shal nomore se the ryuers and brokes of hony and butter:

18But laboure shal he, & yet haue nothinge to eate. Greate trauayle shal he make for riches, but he shal not enioye them.

19And why? he hath oppressed the poore, and not helped them: houses hath he spoyled, and not buylded them.

20His bely coude neuer be fylled, therfore shall he perish in his couetousnesse.

21He deuoured so gredely, yt he left nothinge behynde, therfore his goodes shal not prospere.

22Though he had plenteousnesse of euerythinge, yet was he poore, & therfore he is but a wretch on euery syde.

23For though ye wicked haue neuer so moch to fyll his bely, yet God shal sende his wrath vpon him, and cause his battayll to rayne ouer him:

24so that yf he fle the yron weapens, he shall be shott with the stele bowe.

25The arowe shal be taken forth, & go out at his backe, and a glisteringe swearde thorow ye gall of him, feare shal come vpo him.

26There shal no darcknes be able to hyde him. An vnkyndled fyre shal consume him, and loke what remayneth in his house, it shall be destroyed.

27The heauen shall declare his wickednesse, & the earth shal take parte agaynst him.

28The substaunce that he hath in his house, shalbe taken awaye and perish, in the daye of the LORDES wrath.

29This is the porcion that ye wicked shal haue of God, and the heretage that he maye loke for of the LORDE.