| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: | 1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said: |
| 2"My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer because I am greatly disturbed. | 2“Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me. |
| 3I hear a rebuke that dishonors me, and my understanding inspires me to reply. | 3I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me. |
| 4"Surely you know how it has been from of old, ever since mankind was placed on the earth, | 4Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth, |
| 5that the mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment. | 5that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment? |
| 6Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds, | 6Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds, |
| 7he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?' | 7he will perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ |
| 8Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found, banished like a vision of the night. | 8He will fly away like a dream and not be found; he will be chased away like a vision of the night. |
| 9The eye that saw him will not see him again; his place will look on him no more. | 9The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him. |
| 10His children must make amends to the poor; his own hands must give back his wealth. | 10His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth. |
| 11The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie with him in the dust. | 11His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in the dust. |
| 12"Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue, | 12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue, |
| 13though he cannot bear to let it go and lets it linger in his mouth, | 13though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth, |
| 14yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of serpents within him. | 14yet his food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him. |
| 15He will spit out the riches he swallowed; God will make his stomach vomit them up. | 15He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly. |
| 16He will suck the poison of serpents; the fangs of an adder will kill him. | 16He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him. |
| 17He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream. | 17He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds. |
| 18What he toiled for he must give back uneaten; he will not enjoy the profit from his trading. | 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. |
| 19For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute; he has seized houses he did not build. | 19For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build. |
| 20"Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. | 20“Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him. |
| 21Nothing is left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure. | 21There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore his prosperity will not endure. |
| 22In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full force of misery will come upon him. | 22In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him. |
| 23When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows on him. | 23To fill his belly to the full, God will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body. |
| 24Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him. | 24He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through. |
| 25He pulls it out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver. Terrors will come over him; | 25It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; terrors come upon him. |
| 26total darkness lies in wait for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent. | 26Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; what is left in his tent will be consumed. |
| 27The heavens will expose his guilt; the earth will rise up against him. | 27The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him. |
| 28A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God's wrath. | 28The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God’s wrath. |
| 29Such is the fate God allots the wicked, the heritage appointed for them by God." | 29This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God.” |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | 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. |
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