| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said: | 1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered: |
| 2“Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me. | 2"This is why my troubled thoughts bring me back--because of my feelings within me. |
| 3I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me. | 3When I hear a reproof that dishonors me, then my understanding prompts me to answer. |
| 4Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth, | 4"Surely you know that it has been from old, ever since humankind was placed on the earth, |
| 5that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment? | 5that the elation of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment. |
| 6Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds, | 6Even though his stature reaches to the heavens and his head touches 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 excrement; those who used to see him will 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. | 8Like a dream he flies away, never again to be found, and like a vision of the night he is put to flight. |
| 9The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him. | 9People who had seen him will not see him again, and the place where he was will recognize him no longer. |
| 10His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth. | 10His sons must recompense the poor; his own hands must return his wealth. |
| 11His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in the dust. | 11His bones were full of his youthful vigor, but that vigor will lie down with him in the dust. |
| 12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue, | 12"If evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue, |
| 13though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth, | 13if he retains it for himself and does not let it go, and holds it fast in his mouth, |
| 14yet his food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him. | 14his food is turned sour in his stomach; it becomes the venom of serpents within him. |
| 15He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly. | 15The wealth that he consumed he vomits up, God will make him throw it out of his stomach. |
| 16He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him. | 16He sucks the poison of serpents; the fangs of a viper kill him. |
| 17He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds. | 17He will not look on the streams, the rivers, which are the torrents 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. | 18He gives back the ill-gotten gain without assimilating it; he will not enjoy the wealth from his commerce. |
| 19For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build. | 19For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build. |
| 20“Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him. | 20For he knows no satisfaction in his appetite; he does not let anything he desires escape. |
| 21There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore his prosperity will not endure. | 21"Nothing is left for him to devour; that is why his prosperity does not last. |
| 22In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him. | 22In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress overtakes him. the full force of misery will 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. | 23"While he is filling his belly, God sends his burning anger against him, and rains down his blows upon him. |
| 24He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through. | 24If he flees from an iron weapon, then an arrow from a bronze bow pierces him. |
| 25It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; terrors come upon him. | 25When he pulls it out and it comes out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver, terrors come over 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. | 26Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; a fire which has not been kindled will consume him and devour what is left in his tent. |
| 27The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him. | 27The heavens reveal his iniquity; the earth rises up against him. |
| 28The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God’s wrath. | 28A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God's wrath. |
| 29This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God.” | 29Such is the lot God allots the wicked, and the heritage of his appointment from God." |
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