Zophar: Destruction Awaits the Wicked

1Then aunswered Sophar the Naamathite, and saide:

2For the same cause do my thoughtes compell me to aunswere, and therefore, make haste.

3I haue sufficiently heard the checking of my reproofe, therefore the spirite of myne vnderstanding causeth me to aunswere.

4Knowest thou not this of olde, and since God plaged man vpon earth,

5That the gladnesse of the vngodlie hath ben short, and that the ioy of hypocrites continued but the twinckling of an eye?

6Though he be magnified vp to the heauen, so that his head reacheth vnto the cloudes:

7Yet at a turne he perisheth for euer, insomuch that they which haue seene him, shall say, Where is he?

8He shall vanishe as a dreame, so that he can no more be founde, and shal passe away as a vision in the night.

9So that the eye which sawe him before, shal haue no more sight of him, and his place shall know him no more.

10His children shalbe faine to agree with the poore, and his handes shall restore their goodes.

11From his youth his bones are full of pleasures, but now shall it lye downe within him in the earth.

12When wickednesse was sweete in his mouth, he hyd it vnder his tongue.

13That he fauoured, that would he not forsake, but kept it close in his throte.

14The bread that he did eate, is turned to the poyson of serpentes within his bodye.

15The riches that he deuoured shall he parbreake againe: for God shall drawe them out of his belly.

16He shall sucke the gall of serpentes, and the adders tongue shall slay him:

17So that he shall no more see the ryuers and brookes of hony and butter.

18The thing he hath laboured for, shall he restore, and shall not eate of it: great trauaile shall he make for riches, but he shall not enioy them.

19And why? he hath oppressed the poore, and not helped them: houses hath he spoyled, and not builded them.

20Because he could not perceaue when his belly was well, through his greedie desire he shall not escape.

21There shall none of his meate be left, therefore shall no man loke for his goodes.

22When he had plenteousnesse of euery thing, yet was he poore, though he was helped on euery side.

23And it shall come to passe, that wherewith he purposed to fill his belly, God shall powre the furie of his wrath theron, and shall cause his indignation to raigne vpon him, and vpon his meate.

24He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bowe of steele shall strike him through.

25The arowe is taken foorth and gone out of the quiuer, and a glistering sword through the gall of him: so feare shall come vpon him.

26All darknesse shalbe hid in their secrete places, an vnkindled fire shal consume him: and loke what remaineth in his house, it shalbe destroyed.

27The heauen shal declare his wickednesse, and the earth shall take part against him.

28The substaunce that he hath in his house, shalbe taken away and perishe in the day of the Lordes wrath.

29This is the portion that the wicked man shal haue of God, and the heritage that he may loke for of God, because of his wordes.