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Job 20-21
English Standard Version
Job 20-21
English Standard Version
Zophar Speaks: The Wicked Will Suffer
20 Then (A)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Therefore my (B)thoughts answer me,
because of my haste within me.
3 I hear censure that insults me,
and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
4 Do you not know this from of old,
(C)since man was placed on earth,
5 (D)that the exulting of the wicked is short,
and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 (E)Though his height mount up to the heavens,
and his head reach to the clouds,
7 he will perish forever like his own (F)dung;
those who have seen him will say, (G)‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away like (H)a dream and not be found;
he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 (I)The eye that saw him will see him no more,
nor will his place any more behold him.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
and his hands will (J)give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his (K)youthful vigor,
but it will lie (L)down with him in the dust.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
though he hides it (M)under his tongue,
13 though he is loath to let it go
and holds it in his mouth,
14 yet his food is turned in his stomach;
it is the venom of (N)cobras within him.
15 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
(O)the tongue of a viper will kill him.
17 He will not look upon (P)the rivers,
the streams flowing with (Q)honey and (R)curds.
18 He will (S)give back the fruit of his toil
and will not (T)swallow it down;
from the profit of his trading
he will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has crushed and abandoned the poor;
he has seized a house that he did not build.
20 “Because he (U)knew no (V)contentment in his belly,
(W)he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.
21 There was nothing left after he had eaten;
therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress;
the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.
23 To fill his belly to the full,
God[a] will send his burning anger against him
and rain it upon him (X)into his body.
24 (Y)He will flee from an iron weapon;
(Z)a bronze arrow will strike (AA)him through.
25 It (AB)is drawn forth and comes out of his body;
(AC)the glittering point comes out of his (AD)gallbladder;
(AE)terrors come upon him.
26 Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures;
(AF)a fire not fanned will devour him;
what is left in his tent will be consumed.
27 (AG)The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
and the earth will rise up against him.
28 The possessions of his house will be carried away,
dragged off in the day of God's[b] wrath.
29 (AH)This is the wicked man's portion from God,
(AI)the heritage decreed for him by God.”
Job Replies: The Wicked Do Prosper
21 Then Job answered and said:
2 (AJ)“Keep listening to my words,
and let this be your comfort.
3 Bear with me, and I will speak,
and after I have spoken, (AK)mock on.
4 As for me, is my (AL)complaint against man?
Why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be appalled,
and (AM)lay your hand over your mouth.
6 When I remember, I am dismayed,
and shuddering seizes my flesh.
7 (AN)Why do the wicked live,
reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
8 Their (AO)offspring are established in their presence,
and their descendants before their eyes.
9 Their houses are (AP)safe from fear,
and (AQ)no rod of God is upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without fail;
their cow calves and (AR)does not miscarry.
11 They send out their (AS)little boys like a flock,
and their children dance.
12 They sing to (AT)the tambourine and (AU)the lyre
and rejoice to the sound of (AV)the pipe.
13 They (AW)spend their days in prosperity,
and in (AX)peace they go down to (AY)Sheol.
14 They say to God, (AZ)‘Depart from us!
We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
15 (BA)What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
And what (BB)profit do we get if we pray to him?’
16 Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand?
(BC)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is it that (BD)the lamp of the wicked is put out?
That their calamity comes upon them?
That God[c] distributes pains in his anger?
18 That they are like (BE)straw before the wind,
and like (BF)chaff that the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘God (BG)stores up their iniquity for their (BH)children.’
Let him pay it out to them, that they may (BI)know it.
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction,
and let them (BJ)drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what do they care for their houses after them,
when (BK)the number of their months is cut off?
22 (BL)Will any teach God knowledge,
seeing that he (BM)judges those who are on high?
23 One dies in his full vigor,
being wholly at ease and secure,
24 his pails[d] full of milk
and (BN)the marrow of his bones moist.
25 Another dies in (BO)bitterness of soul,
never having tasted of prosperity.
26 They (BP)lie down alike in the dust,
and (BQ)the worms cover them.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts
and your schemes to wrong me.
28 For you say, (BR)‘Where is the house of the prince?
Where is (BS)the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the roads,
and do you not accept their testimony
30 that (BT)the evil man is spared in the day of calamity,
that he is rescued in the day of wrath?
31 Who declares his way (BU)to his face,
and who (BV)repays him for what he has done?
32 When he is (BW)carried to the grave,
watch is kept over his tomb.
33 (BX)The clods of the valley are sweet to him;
(BY)all mankind follows after him,
and those who go before him are innumerable.
34 How then will you comfort me with empty nothings?
There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”
Job 20-21
New International Version
Job 20-21
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)
Job
21 Then Job replied:
2 “Listen carefully to my words;(BH)
let this be the consolation you give me.(BI)
3 Bear with me while I speak,
and after I have spoken, mock on.(BJ)
4 “Is my complaint(BK) directed to a human being?
Why should I not be impatient?(BL)
5 Look at me and be appalled;
clap your hand over your mouth.(BM)
6 When I think about this, I am terrified;(BN)
trembling seizes my body.(BO)
7 Why do the wicked live on,
growing old and increasing in power?(BP)
8 They see their children established around them,
their offspring before their eyes.(BQ)
9 Their homes are safe and free from fear;(BR)
the rod of God is not on them.(BS)
10 Their bulls never fail to breed;
their cows calve and do not miscarry.(BT)
11 They send forth their children as a flock;(BU)
their little ones dance about.
12 They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;(BV)
they make merry to the sound of the pipe.(BW)
13 They spend their years in prosperity(BX)
and go down to the grave(BY) in peace.[c](BZ)
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!(CA)
We have no desire to know your ways.(CB)
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
What would we gain by praying to him?’(CC)
16 But their prosperity is not in their own hands,
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(CD)
17 “Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out?(CE)
How often does calamity(CF) come upon them,
the fate God allots in his anger?(CG)
18 How often are they like straw before the wind,
like chaff(CH) swept away(CI) by a gale?(CJ)
19 It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’(CK)
Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it!(CL)
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction;(CM)
let them drink(CN) the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.(CO)
21 For what do they care about the families they leave behind(CP)
when their allotted months(CQ) come to an end?(CR)
22 “Can anyone teach knowledge to God,(CS)
since he judges even the highest?(CT)
23 One person dies in full vigor,(CU)
completely secure and at ease,(CV)
24 well nourished(CW) in body,[d]
bones(CX) rich with marrow.(CY)
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul,(CZ)
never having enjoyed anything good.
26 Side by side they lie in the dust,(DA)
and worms(DB) cover them both.(DC)
27 “I know full well what you are thinking,
the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,(DD)
the tents where the wicked lived?’(DE)
29 Have you never questioned those who travel?
Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
30 that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,(DF)
that they are delivered from[e] the day of wrath?(DG)
31 Who denounces their conduct to their face?
Who repays them for what they have done?(DH)
32 They are carried to the grave,
and watch is kept over their tombs.(DI)
33 The soil in the valley is sweet to them;(DJ)
everyone follows after them,
and a countless throng goes[f] before them.(DK)
Footnotes
- Job 20:4 Or Adam
- Job 20:28 Or The possessions in his house will be carried off, / washed away
- Job 21:13 Or in an instant
- Job 21:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Job 21:30 Or wicked are reserved for the day of calamity, / that they are brought forth to
- Job 21:33 Or them, / as a countless throng went
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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.