Job 20 — The Holy Bible

Zophar: The Ungodly Will Perish

Job 20, verse 1. Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“I did not suppose you would answer in that way;

Nor do you understand more than I.

I will heed the discipline of my humiliation,

And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.

“Have you not heard these things of old—

From the time man was put on the earth?

For the gladness of the ungodly is a disastrous fall,

And the joy of transgressors is destruction.

Though his gifts ascend to heaven

And his sacrifice touches the clouds,

Just when he already seems to be established,

Then he shall utterly perish;

And those who knew him will say, ‘Where is he?’

Like a dream he flew away and cannot be found;

And he fled like a vision of the night.

The eye observed him, but will see him no more;

Nor will his place any longer behold him.

May his children perish,

And may his vile hands kindle the fire of sorrows.

His bones were full of his youthful vigor,

Which will lie down with him in the dust.

Though evil is sweet in his mouth,

And he will hide it under his tongue,

Though he will not spare it and will not forsake it,

But will hold it fast in the midst of his throat,

Yet he shall be unable to help himself,

For the gall of an asp is in his belly.

His wealth gathered unjustly shall be vomited up,

And a messenger will drag him out of his house.

May he nurse on the anger of serpents;

And may a snake's tongue kill him.

May he not see the milk of the pastures,

Nor his supplies of honey and butter.

In vain he has labored unprofitably for wealth,

Of which he will not taste;

For it is like tough meat that he cannot chew.

For he crushed the houses of many weak people.

He plundered their dwelling and caused it to cease.

“There is no salvation in his possessions,

For he will not be saved by what he desired.

Nothing is left for him to eat;

Therefore, his good things will not flourish.

But when he at last seems to be satisfied, he will be distressed,

For every trouble will come upon him.

If he were to satisfy his stomach in some way,

Let God send the fury of wrath upon him,

And may He bathe him in sorrows.

He will not be saved from the power of the sword;

May a bronze bow wound him.

May an arrow pass through his body,

And may lightning strike his dwelling.

May terrors come upon him.

May total darkness await him.

A fire that will not go out will consume him.

May a stranger ruin his house.

May heaven uncover his lawlessness,

And may the earth rise up against him.

May destruction bring his house to an end,

And may a day of wrath come upon him.

This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord,

And the heritage appointed to him from the One who watches him.”