Job 20 — BBE

20Verse 1Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,^{Verse 2}For this cause my thoughts are troubling me and driving me on.^{Verse 3}I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.^{Verse 4}Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,^{Verse 5}That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?^{Verse 6}Though he is lifted up to the heavens, and his head goes up to the clouds;^{Verse 7}Like the waste from his body he comes to an end for ever: those who have seen him say, Where is he?^{Verse 8}He is gone like a dream, and is not seen again; he goes in flight like a vision of the night.^{Verse 9}The eye which saw him sees him no longer; and his place has no more knowledge of him.^{Verse 10}His children are hoping that the poor will be kind to them, and his hands give back his wealth.^{Verse 11}His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.^{Verse 12}Though evil-doing is sweet in his mouth, and he keeps it secretly under his tongue;^{Verse 13}Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;^{Verse 14}His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.^{Verse 15}He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God.^{Verse 16}He takes the poison of snakes into his mouth, the tongue of the snake is the cause of his death.^{Verse 17}Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.^{Verse 18}He is forced to give back the fruit of his work, and may not take it for food; he has no joy in the profit of his trading.^{Verse 19}Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;^{Verse 20}There is no peace for him in his wealth, and no salvation for him in those things in which he took delight.^{Verse 21}He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.^{Verse 22}Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.^{Verse 23}God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.^{Verse 24}He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;^{Verse 25}He is pulling it out, and it comes out of his back; and its shining point comes out of his side; he is overcome by fears.^{Verse 26}All his wealth is stored up for the dark: a fire not made by man sends destruction on him, and on everything in his tent.^{Verse 27}The heavens make clear his sin, and the earth gives witness against him.^{Verse 28}The produce of his house is taken away into another country, like things given into the hands of others in the day of wrath.^{Verse 29}This is the reward of the evil man, and the heritage given to him by God.