20:1 And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --

20:2 Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.

20:3 The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:

20:4 This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?

20:5 That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

20:6 Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike --

20:7 As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: `Where [is] he?`

20:8 As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,

20:9 The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.

20:10 His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.

20:11 His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

20:12 Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,

20:13 Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,

20:14 His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart.

20:15 Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.

20:16 Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.

20:17 He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.

20:18 He is giving back [what] he laboured for, And doth not consume [it]; As a bulwark [is] his exchange, and he exults not.

20:19 For he oppressed -- he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.

20:20 For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.

20:21 There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.

20:22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.

20:23 It cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his eating.

20:24 He fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.

20:25 One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him [are] terrors.

20:26 All darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.

20:27 Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.

20:28 Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.