Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2This is why my unsettling thoughts compel me to answer, because I am upset!

2"Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond, Even because of my inward agitation.

3I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding makes me reply.

3"I listened to the reproof which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

4Don't you know that ever since antiquity, from the time a human was placed on earth,

4"Do you know this from of old, From the establishment of man on earth,

5the joy of the wicked has been brief and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?

5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless momentary?

6Though his arrogance reaches heaven, and his head touches the clouds,

6"Though his loftiness reaches the heavens, And his head touches the clouds,

7he will vanish forever like his own dung. Those who know him will ask, "Where is he?"

7He perishes forever like his refuse; Those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'

8He will fly away like a dream and never be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.

8"He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him; Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.

9The eye that saw him will see him no more, and his household will no longer see him.

9"The eye which saw him sees him no longer, And his place no longer beholds him.

10His children will beg from the poor, for his own hands must give back his wealth.

10"His sons favor the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.

11His frame may be full of youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in dust.

11"His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it lies down with him in the dust.

12Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,

12"Though evil is sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,

13though he cherishes it and will not let it go but keeps it in his mouth,

13Though he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth,

14yet the food in his stomach turns into cobras' venom inside him.

14Yet his food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him.

15He swallows wealth but must vomit it up; God will force it from his stomach.

15"He swallows riches, But will vomit them up; God will expel them from his belly.

16He will suck the poison of cobras; a viper's fangs will kill him.

16"He sucks the poison of cobras; The viper's tongue slays him.

17He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and curds.

17"He does not look at the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and curds.

18He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he doesn't enjoy the profits from his trading.

18"He returns what he has attained And cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them.

19For he oppressed and abandoned the poor; he seized a house he did not build.

19"For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.

20Because his appetite is never satisfied, he does not let anything he desires escape.

20"Because he knew no quiet within him, He does not retain anything he desires.

21Nothing is left for him to consume; therefore, his prosperity will not last.

21"Nothing remains for him to devour, Therefore his prosperity does not endure.

22At the height of his success distress will come to him; the full weight of misery will crush him.

22"In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped; The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

23When he fills his stomach, God will send his burning anger against him, raining it down on him while he is eating.

23"When he fills his belly, God will send His fierce anger on him And will rain it on him while he is eating.

24If he flees from an iron weapon, an arrow from a bronze bow will pierce him.

24"He may flee from the iron weapon, But the bronze bow will pierce him.

25He pulls it out of his back, the flashing tip out of his liver. Terrors come over him.

25"It is drawn forth and comes out of his back, Even the glittering point from his gall. Terrors come upon him,

26Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. A fire unfanned by human hands will consume him; it will feed on what is left in his tent.

26Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures, And unfanned fire will devour him; It will consume the survivor in his tent.

27The heavens will expose his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.

27"The heavens will reveal his iniquity, And the earth will rise up against him.

28The possessions in his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God's anger.

28"The increase of his house will depart; His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.

29This is the wicked person's lot from God, the inheritance God ordained for him.

29"This is the wicked man's portion from God, Even the heritage decreed to him by God."

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org