Job 15:20
New International Version
All his days the wicked man suffers torment, the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.

New Living Translation
“The wicked writhe in pain throughout their lives. Years of trouble are stored up for the ruthless.

English Standard Version
The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless.

Berean Standard Bible
A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.

King James Bible
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

New King James Version
The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.

New American Standard Bible
“The wicked person writhes in pain all his days, And the years reserved for the ruthless are numbered.

NASB 1995
“The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless.

NASB 1977
“The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless.

Legacy Standard Bible
The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless.

Amplified Bible
“The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for him, the ruthless one.

Christian Standard Bible
A wicked person writhes in pain all his days, throughout the number of years reserved for the ruthless.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.

American Standard Version
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

Contemporary English Version
But suffering is in store each day for those who sin.

English Revised Version
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The wicked person is tortured all his days. Only a few years are reserved for the ruthless person.

Good News Translation
The wicked who oppress others will be in torment as long as they live.

International Standard Version
"The wicked person writhes in pain throughout his life, a number of years has been reserved for the ruthless.

Majority Standard Bible
A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.

NET Bible
All his days the wicked man suffers torment, throughout the number of the years that are stored up for the tyrant.

New Heart English Bible
the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

Webster's Bible Translation
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

World English Bible
the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
All [the] days of the wicked he is paining himself, "" And few years have been laid up for the terrible one.

Young's Literal Translation
'All days of the wicked he is paining himself, And few years have been laid up for the terrible one.

Smith's Literal Translation
All the days the unjust one himself being pained, and numbering the years they were hidden to him terrifying.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The wicked man is proud all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The impious is arrogant for all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.

New American Bible
The wicked is in torment all his days, and limited years are in store for the ruthless;

New Revised Standard Version
The wicked writhe in pain all their days, through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The wicked man magnifies himself all his days, and the number of the years of the violent man is hidden.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
All the days of the wicked he magnifies himself and the number of his years will be kept by The Almighty One
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
All the life of the ungodly is spent in care, and the years granted to the oppressor are numbered.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Eliphaz: Job Does Not Fear God
19to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them. 20A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless. 21Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.…

Cross References
Psalm 37:35-36
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, / yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.

Proverbs 13:21
Disaster pursues sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

Isaiah 57:20-21
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck. / “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence. / Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

Psalm 73:3-19
For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. / They have no struggle in their death; their bodies are well-fed. / They are free of the burdens others carry; they are not afflicted like other men. ...

Proverbs 11:21
Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

Isaiah 48:22
“There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

Psalm 34:21
Evil will slay the wicked, and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.

Proverbs 24:19-20
Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. / For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

Isaiah 3:11
Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.

Romans 2:8-9
But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger. / There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek;

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9
After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, / and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels / in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ...

Matthew 13:49-50
So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous / and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 16:25
But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.

James 5:1-5
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days. ...


Treasury of Scripture

The wicked man travails with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

travaileth

Romans 8:22
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Ecclesiastes 9:3
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

the number

Psalm 90:3,4,12
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men…

Luke 12:19-21
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry…

James 5:1-6
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you

Jump to Previous
Allotted Cruel Evil Hidden Laid Numbered Oppressor Pain Paining Ruthless Small Stored Suffers Terrible Torment Tormented Travaileth Violent Wicked Writhes
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Allotted Cruel Evil Hidden Laid Numbered Oppressor Pain Paining Ruthless Small Stored Suffers Terrible Torment Tormented Travaileth Violent Wicked Writhes
Job 15
1. Eliphaz reproves Job for impiety in justifying himself
17. He proves by tradition the restlessness of wicked men














A wicked man
The term "wicked" in Hebrew is "רָשָׁע" (rasha), which denotes someone who is morally wrong, guilty, or an enemy of God. In the context of the Book of Job, this term is used to describe those who live in opposition to God's laws and principles. The wicked man is often portrayed as one who is self-centered, disregarding the divine order and justice. This phrase sets the stage for understanding the consequences of living a life contrary to God's will, emphasizing the moral and spiritual decay that accompanies such a lifestyle.

writhes in pain
The Hebrew word for "writhes" is "מְחוֹלֵל" (mecholel), which conveys a sense of twisting or contorting in agony. This vivid imagery suggests not only physical suffering but also emotional and spiritual turmoil. The pain experienced by the wicked is not just a momentary affliction but a continual state of distress. This reflects the biblical principle that sin leads to suffering, and those who reject God's ways will inevitably face the consequences of their actions.

all his days
This phrase underscores the perpetual nature of the wicked man's suffering. It is not limited to a single event or period but extends throughout his entire life. The constancy of this pain serves as a reminder of the enduring impact of sin and the absence of peace for those who live apart from God. In a broader theological context, it highlights the contrast between the fleeting pleasures of sin and the eternal peace found in righteousness.

only a few years
The brevity of life is a recurring theme in Scripture, and this phrase emphasizes the short-lived nature of the wicked man's existence. The Hebrew word "שָׁנִים" (shanim) for "years" suggests a limited time frame, reinforcing the idea that the wicked will not endure. This serves as a sobering reminder of the temporal nature of earthly life and the importance of living in accordance with God's will.

are reserved
The concept of "reserved" in Hebrew is "צָפוּן" (tzafun), which implies something that is hidden or stored up. This suggests that the consequences of the wicked man's actions are predetermined and inevitable. It reflects the biblical understanding of divine justice, where God, in His sovereignty, ensures that each person reaps what they sow. The reserved years for the wicked are marked by divine judgment and the fulfillment of God's righteous decrees.

for the ruthless
The term "ruthless" in Hebrew is "עָרִיץ" (aritz), which describes someone who is violent, oppressive, and devoid of compassion. This word paints a picture of a person who exploits others for personal gain, showing no regard for justice or mercy. The ruthless are often seen as the epitome of human depravity, and their actions are in direct opposition to the character of God. This phrase serves as a warning that those who live by such principles will ultimately face divine retribution.

(20) Travaileth with pain.--This and the following verses contain the result of this experience. Here, again, we have a highly-coloured and poetical description of the oppressor, true to the character of the speaker in Job 4:12, &c. We should read Job 15:20 : The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor. It is not an independent statement, as in the Authorised Version. A sound of terror is for ever in his ears lest the spoiler should come upon him in his prosperity--he always seems to dread his war-swoop. And this condition of darkness within, which contrasts so painfully with his outward prosperity, he sees no escape from; he is over in fear of a sword hanging over him, like Damocles.

Verses 20-35. - Schultens calls this "a magnificently elaborate oration, crowded with illustrations and metaphors, in which it is shown that the wicked cannot possibly escape being miserable, but that the punishment which they have so richly deserved assuredly awaits them, and is to be inflicted on them, as an example and terror to others, by a holy and just God, because, just as he loves virtue, so he pursues vice with a fierce and deadly hatred" ('Liber Jobi,' p. 104, edit. R. Grey). Verse 20. - The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days. Certainly an over-statement of the truth. With a much nearer approach to the facts of the case, the Psalmist remarked, "I was grieved at the wicked: I do also see the ungodly in such prosperity. For they are in no peril of death, but are lusty and strong. They come in no misfortune like other folk; neither are they plagued like other men" (Psalm 73:3-5). And the number of years is hidden to the oppressor; rather, even the number of years that is laid up for the oppressor. So Merx and the Revised Version. Another possible meaning is, "And a [small] number of years is laid up," etc. If we take the former view, we must regard the clause as exegetical of "all his days."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
A wicked
רָ֭שָׁע (rā·šā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

man writhes in pain
מִתְחוֹלֵ֑ל (miṯ·ḥō·w·lêl)
Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2342: To twist, whirl, to dance, to writhe in pain, fear, to wait, to pervert

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

his
ה֣וּא (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

days;
יְמֵ֣י (yə·mê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117: A day

only a few
וּמִסְפַּ֥ר (ū·mis·par)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4557: A number, definite, indefinite, narration

years
שָׁ֝נִ֗ים (nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year

are reserved
נִצְפְּנ֥וּ (niṣ·pə·nū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6845: To hide, to hoard, reserve, to deny, to protect, to lurk

for the ruthless.
לֶעָרִֽיץ׃ (le·‘ā·rîṣ)
Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6184: Awe-inspiring, terror-striking


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OT Poetry: Job 15:20 The wicked man writhes in pain all (Jb)
Job 15:19
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