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
.