Job 20
Tree of Life Version
Zophar: Death and Hell for the Wicked
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded and said:
2 “In truth, my troubled thoughts urge me to answer
because of my feelings within me.
3 I hear a rebuke that dishonors me
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4 Do you not know that it has been from old,
since mankind was put on earth,
5 that the triumph of the wicked is short
and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?
6 Though his pride reaches to the heavens,
and his head touches the clouds,
7 he perishes forever like his own dung.
Those who have seen him will say,
‘Where is he?’
8 Like a dream, he flies away
and they cannot find him;
like a vision of the night,
he is chased away.
9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.
10 His children must recompense the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.
11 His bones were full of his youthful vigor
but it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
though he hides it under his tongue,
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
and holds it in his mouth,
14 his food turns sour in his stomach;
it becomes the venom of serpents within him.
15 He swallows riches and vomits them up;
God empties it out of his stomach.
16 He sucks the poison of serpents;
fangs of a viper kill him.
17 He will not look at streams,
rivers flowing with honey and butter.
18 He gives back what he toiled for without swallowing it;
he will not enjoy the riches of his trade.
19 For he has oppressed and abandoned the poor.
He has seized a house he did not build.
20 For he knows no satisfaction from his greed,
he cannot save himself by his desires.
21 Nothing remains for him to devour;
therefore his prosperity will not last.
22 In the fullness of his plenty, he will be distressed;
the full force of misery will come upon him.
23 While he is filling his belly,
He will send the anger of His wrath against him,
and rain it down it on him, on his flesh.
24 Though he flees from an iron weapon,
a bronze bow pierces him through.
25 He pulls and it comes out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors come upon him!
26 Total darkness waits for his treasures;
A fire not fanned will devour him;
it will consume what is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will expose his iniquity;
the earth will rise up against him.
28 A flood will carry off his house,
rushing waters on the day of His wrath.
29 Such is the wicked man’s lot from God,
the heritage appointed to him by God.”
Job 20
New International Version
Zophar
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:
2 “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.(B)
3 I hear a rebuke(C) that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4 “Surely you know how it has been from of old,(D)
ever since mankind[a] was placed on the earth,
5 that the mirth of the wicked(E) is brief,
the joy of the godless(F) lasts but a moment.(G)
6 Though the pride(H) of the godless person reaches to the heavens(I)
and his head touches the clouds,(J)
7 he will perish forever,(K) like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’(L)
8 Like a dream(M) he flies away,(N) no more to be found,
banished(O) like a vision of the night.(P)
9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.(Q)
10 His children(R) must make amends to the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.(S)
11 The youthful vigor(T) that fills his bones(U)
will lie with him in the dust.(V)
12 “Though evil(W) is sweet in his mouth
and he hides it under his tongue,(X)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
and lets it linger in his mouth,(Y)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;(Z)
it will become the venom of serpents(AA) within him.
15 He will spit out the riches(AB) he swallowed;
God will make his stomach vomit(AC) them up.
16 He will suck the poison(AD) of serpents;
the fangs of an adder will kill him.(AE)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers(AF) flowing with honey(AG) and cream.(AH)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;(AI)
he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.(AJ)
19 For he has oppressed the poor(AK) and left them destitute;(AL)
he has seized houses(AM) he did not build.
20 “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;(AN)
he cannot save himself by his treasure.(AO)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
his prosperity will not endure.(AP)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;(AQ)
the full force of misery will come upon him.(AR)
23 When he has filled his belly,(AS)
God will vent his burning anger(AT) against him
and rain down his blows on him.(AU)
24 Though he flees(AV) from an iron weapon,
a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.(AW)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors(AX) will come over him;(AY)
26 total darkness(AZ) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire(BA) unfanned will consume him(BB)
and devour what is left in his tent.(BC)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
the earth will rise up against him.(BD)
28 A flood will carry off his house,(BE)
rushing waters[b] on the day of God’s wrath.(BF)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God.”(BG)
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.