English Standard Version

King James Bible

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2“Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me.

2Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

3I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.

3I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

4Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth,

4Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

5that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?

5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

6Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,

6Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;

7he will perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

8He will fly away like a dream and not be found; he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

9The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him.

9The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

10His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth.

10His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

11His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in the dust.

11His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue,

12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;

13though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth,

13Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:

14yet his food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him.

14Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.

15He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly.

15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

16He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him.

16He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.

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

17He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

18He will give back the fruit of his toil and will not swallow it down; from the profit of his trading he will get no enjoyment.

18That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

19For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build.

19Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

20“Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.

20Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

21There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore his prosperity will not endure.

21There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

22In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.

22In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

23To fill his belly to the full, God will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body.

23When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

24He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through.

24He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.

25It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; terrors come upon him.

25It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

26Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; what is left in his tent will be consumed.

26All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

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

27The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

28The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God’s wrath.

28The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

29This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God.”

29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.