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20:1  Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
20:2  “Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond, Even because of my haste within me.
20:3  I listened to the discipline which dishonors me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
20:4  Do you know this from of old, From the establishment of man on earth,
20:5  That the shouts of joy of the wicked are short, And the gladness of the godless momentary?
20:6  Though his loftiness goes up to the heavens, And his head touches the clouds,
20:7  He perishes forever like his refuse; Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
20:8  He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him; Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.
20:9  The eye which saw him sees him no longer, And his place no longer beholds him.
20:10  His sons seek the favor of the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.
20:11  His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it lies down with him in the dust.
20:12  “Though evil is sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,
20:13  Though he desires it and will not forsake it, And holds it to his palate,
20:14  Yet his food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him.
20:15  He swallows up wealth, But will vomit it up; God will expel it from his belly.
20:16  He sucks the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue kills him.
20:17  He does not look at the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
20:18  He returns what he has attained And cannot swallow it; As to the wealth of his trading, He cannot even enjoy it.
20:19  For he has crushed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.
20:20  “Because he knew no ease within his belly, In his covetousness, he does not let anything escape.
20:21  Nothing remains for him to devour; Therefore his prosperity does not endure.
20:22  In the fullness of his plenty he will be confined; The hand of everyone who is troubled will come against him.
20:23  So it will be that he fills his belly, And God will send His burning anger on him And will rain it on him while he is eating.
20:24  He may flee from the iron weapon, But the bronze bow will pierce him.
20:25  It is drawn forth and comes out of his back, Even the glittering point from his gall; Bouts of dread come upon him.
20:26  Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures; A fire unfanned will devour him; It will consume the survivor in his tent.
20:27  The heavens will reveal his iniquity, And the earth will rise up against him.
20:28  The increase of his house will depart; His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.
20:29  This is the wicked man’s portion from God, Even the inheritance decreed to him by God.”