1 Zophar sheweth in his turn the certain downfall and portion of the wicked.
1. Then answered aZophar the Naamathite, and said,
2. Therefore bdo my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this 1I make haste.
3. I have cheard the *check of my reproach, and dthe spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
4. eKnowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
5. fThat the triumphing of the wicked is 2short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
6. Though his excellency gmount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the 3clouds;
7. Yet hhe shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, iWhere is he?
8. He jshall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9. The keye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
10. 4His lchildren shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall mrestore their goods.
11. His nbones are full of the sin of his youth, which oshall lie down with him in the dust.
12. Though wickedness be psweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
13. Though he qspare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still 5within his mouth:
14. Yet rhis *meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
15. He hath swallowed down riches, and she shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
16. He tshall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.
17. He ushall not see the rivers, the 6floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
18. That vwhich he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: 7according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.
19. wBecause he hath 8oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
20. xSurely he shall not 9feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of ythat which he desired.
21. 10There shall none of his *meat be zleft; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
22. aIn the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the 11wicked shall come upon him.
23. When bhe is about to fill his belly, God shall cast cthe fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.
24. dHe shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
25. eIt is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
26. All fdarkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it gshall go ill with him that is left in his *tabernacle.
27. The hheaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
28. iThe increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his jwrath.
29. kThis is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage 12appointed unto him by God.
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste. I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night. The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him. His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods. His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust. Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue; Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth: Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him. He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly. He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him. He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter. That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein. Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired. There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods. In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him. When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating. He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him. All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle. The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him. The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath. This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.