International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Zophar from Naamath replied:

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2"Therefore my anxious thoughts cause me to answer because I'm agitated within me.

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

3Whenever I hear an insulting rebuke, I respond from my spirit because I understand."

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

4"Haven't you known this from ancient times, since mankind was placed on the earth?

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

5The wicked triumph only briefly; the joy of the godless is momentary.

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

6Though he grow as tall as the sky, or though his head touches the clouds,

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

7he'll perish forever, like his own excrement; those who saw him will ask, 'Where is he?'

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

8He'll vanish like a dream, and no one will find him; he will be chased away like a night vision."

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

9"An eye that gazes at him won't do so again; and his place won't even recognize him.

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

10His sons will make amends to the poor; their hands will return his wealth.

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

11Though his bones were full of youthful vigor; yet they will lie down with him in the 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, though he conceals it under his tongue,

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

13though he savors it and delays swallowing it so he can taste it again and again in his mouth,

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

14his food will turn rancid in his stomach— it will become a cobra's poison inside him.

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

15"Though he swallows wealth, he will vomit it; God will dislodge 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; the fangs of a viper will slay him.

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

17He won't look at the rivers— the torrents of honey and curd.

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

18"He will restore what he has attained from his work and won't consume it; he won't enjoy the profits from his business transactions,

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

19because he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he didn't build.

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

20"Since his appetite won't quit; he won't let anything escape his lust.

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

21Because nothing was left for him to devour, therefore his prosperity won't last.

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

22Even though he is satiated and self-sufficient, he suffers— everyone in any sort of trouble will attack him.

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

23"It will come about that, when he has filled himself to the full, God will vent his burning anger on him; he will pour it out on him and on his body.

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

24Though he dodges an iron weapon, a bronze arrow will pierce him.

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

25It will impale him and come out through his back; the point will glisten as it protrudes through his gall bladder, and he will be terrified.

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

26"Total darkness has been reserved for his treasures; a fire that has no need to be kindled will devour him and consume whatever remains in his possession.

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

27Heaven will reveal his iniquity, while the earth will rise up against him.

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

28A flood will wash away his house; dragging it away when God becomes angry.

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

29This is what the wicked person inherits from God; it is the inheritance that God appoints for him."

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

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

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