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.