New King James Version | New Living Translation |
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said: | 1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: |
2“Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer, Because of the turmoil within me. | 2“I must reply because I am greatly disturbed. |
3I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me, And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer. | 3I’ve had to endure your insults, but now my spirit prompts me to reply. |
4“Do you not know this of old, Since man was placed on earth, | 4“Don’t you realize that from the beginning of time, ever since people were first placed on the earth, |
5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment? | 5the triumph of the wicked has been short lived and the joy of the godless has been only temporary? |
6Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens, And his head reaches to the clouds, | 6Though the pride of the godless reaches to the heavens and their heads touch the clouds, |
7Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse; Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ | 7yet they will vanish forever, thrown away like their own dung. Those who knew them will ask, ‘Where are they?’ |
8He will fly away like a dream, and not be found; Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night. | 8They will fade like a dream and not be found. They will vanish like a vision in the night. |
9The eye that saw him will see him no more, Nor will his place behold him anymore. | 9Those who once saw them will see them no more. Their families will never see them again. |
10His children will seek the favor of the poor, And his hands will restore his wealth. | 10Their children will beg from the poor, for they must give back their stolen riches. |
11His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it will lie down with him in the dust. | 11Though they are young, their bones will lie in the dust. |
12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, And he hides it under his tongue, | 12“They enjoyed the sweet taste of wickedness, letting it melt under their tongue. |
13Though he spares it and does not forsake it, But still keeps it in his mouth, | 13They savored it, holding it long in their mouths. |
14Yet his food in his stomach turns sour; It becomes cobra venom within him. | 14But suddenly the food in their bellies turns sour, a poisonous venom in their stomach. |
15He swallows down riches And vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly. | 15They will vomit the wealth they swallowed. God won’t let them keep it down. |
16He will suck the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue will slay him. | 16They will suck the poison of cobras. The viper will kill them. |
17He will not see the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and cream. | 17They will never again enjoy streams of olive oil or rivers of milk and honey. |
18He will restore that for which he labored, And will not swallow it down; From the proceeds of business He will get no enjoyment. | 18They will give back everything they worked for. Their wealth will bring them no joy. |
19For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor, He has violently seized a house which he did not build. | 19For they oppressed the poor and left them destitute. They foreclosed on their homes. |
20“Because he knows no quietness in his heart, He will not save anything he desires. | 20They were always greedy and never satisfied. Nothing remains of all the things they dreamed about. |
21Nothing is left for him to eat; Therefore his well-being will not last. | 21Nothing is left after they finish gorging themselves. Therefore, their prosperity will not endure. |
22In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress; Every hand of misery will come against him. | 22“In the midst of plenty, they will run into trouble and be overcome by misery. |
23When he is about to fill his stomach, God will cast on him the fury of His wrath, And will rain it on him while he is eating. | 23May God give them a bellyful of trouble. May God rain down his anger upon them. |
24He will flee from the iron weapon; A bronze bow will pierce him through. | 24When they try to escape an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce them. |
25It is drawn, and comes out of the body; Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Terrors come upon him; | 25The arrow is pulled from their back, and the arrowhead glistens with blood. The terrors of death are upon them. |
26Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. An unfanned fire will consume him; It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent. | 26Their treasures will be thrown into deepest darkness. A wildfire will devour their goods, consuming all they have left. |
27The heavens will reveal his iniquity, And the earth will rise up against him. | 27The heavens will reveal their guilt, and the earth will testify against them. |
28The increase of his house will depart, And his goods will flow away in the day of His wrath. | 28A flood will sweep away their house. God’s anger will descend on them in torrents. |
29This is the portion from God for a wicked man, The heritage appointed to him by God.” | 29This is the reward that God gives the wicked. It is the inheritance decreed by God.” |
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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