Job 20:1–9

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

2 “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer

because I am greatly disturbed.

3 I hear a rebuke that dishonors me,

and my understanding inspires me to reply.

4 “Surely you know how it has been from of old,

ever since mankind was placed on the earth,

5 that the mirth of the wicked is brief,

the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.

6 Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens

and his head touches the clouds,

7 he will perish forever, like his own dung;

those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8 Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found,

banished like a vision of the night.

9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;

his place will look on him no more.

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer,

And for this I make haste.

3 I have heard the check of my reproach,

And the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

4 Knowest thou not this of old,

Since man was placed upon earth,

5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens,

And his head reach unto the clouds;

7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung:

They which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found:

Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more;

Neither shall his place any more behold him.

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

2 “I must reply

because I am greatly disturbed.

3 I’ve had to endure your insults,

but now my spirit prompts me to reply.

4 “Don’t you realize that from the beginning of time,

ever since people were first placed on the earth,

5 the triumph of the wicked has been short lived

and the joy of the godless has been only temporary?

6 Though the pride of the godless reaches to the heavens

and their heads touch the clouds,

7 yet they will vanish forever,

thrown away like their own dung.

Those who knew them will ask,

‘Where are they?’

8 They will fade like a dream and not be found.

They will vanish like a vision in the night.

9 Those who once saw them will see them no more.

Their families will never see them again.

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

2 “Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer,

Because of the turmoil within me.

3 I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me,

And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.

4 “Do you not know this of old,

Since man was placed on earth,

5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?

6 Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens,

And his head reaches to the clouds,

7 Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse;

Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8 He will fly away like a dream, and not be found;

Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,

Nor will his place behold him anymore.

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:

2 “My troubled thoughts cause me to answer,

because I am very upset.

3 You correct me and I am insulted,

but I understand how to answer you.

4 “You know how it has been for a long time,

ever since people were first put on the earth.

5 The happiness of evil people is brief,

and the joy of the wicked lasts only a moment.

6 Their pride may be as high as the heavens,

and their heads may touch the clouds,

7 but they will be gone forever, like their own dung.

People who knew them will say, ‘Where are they?’

8 They will fly away like a dream

and not be found again;

they will be chased away like a vision in the night.

9 Those who saw them will not see them again;

the places where they lived will see them no more.

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me,

Even by reason of my haste that is in me.

3 I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame;

And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.

4 Knowest thou not this of old time,

Since man was placed upon earth,

5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the godless but for a moment?

6 Though his height mount up to the heavens,

And his head reach unto the clouds;

7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung:

They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found:

Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more;

Neither shall his place any more behold him.

1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said, 2 Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me. 3 I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and my spirit answereth me by mine understanding. 4 Knowest thou not this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth, 5 The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment? 6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, 7 Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? 8 He flieth away as a dream, and is not found; and is chased away as a vision of the night. 9 The eye which saw him shall see him not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.

1 Then Zophar from Naama replied ⸤to Job⸥, 

2 “My disturbing thoughts make me answer, 

and because of them I am upset. 

3 I have heard criticism that makes me ashamed, 

but a spirit beyond my understanding gives me answers. 

4 “Don’t you know 

that from ancient times, 

from the time humans were placed on earth, 

5 the triumph of the wicked is short-lived, 

and the joy of the godless person lasts only a moment? 

6 If his height reaches to the sky 

and his head touches the clouds, 

7 he will certainly rotlike his own feces. 

Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ 

8 He will fly away like a dream and not be found. 

He will be chased away like a vision in the night. 

9 Eyes that saw him will see him no more. 

His home will not look at him again. 

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

2 This is why my unsettling thoughts compel me to answer,

because I am upset!

3 I have heard a rebuke that insults me,

and my understanding makes me reply.

4 Don’t you know that ever since antiquity,

from the time man was placed on earth,

5 the joy of the wicked has been brief

and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?

6 Though his arrogance reaches heaven,

and his head touches the clouds,

7 he will vanish forever like his own dung.

Those who know him will ask, “Where is he?”

8 He will fly away like a dream and never be found;

he will be chased away like a vision in the night.

9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,

and his household will no longer see him.

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:

2 “Listen! My thoughts urge me to answer

because of the agitation within me.

3 I hear censure that insults me,

and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.

4 Do you not know this from of old,

ever since mortals were placed on earth,

5 that the exulting of the wicked is short

and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?

6 Even though they mount up high as the heavens

and their head reaches to the clouds,

7 they will perish forever like their own dung;

those who have seen them will say, ‘Where are they?’

8 They will fly away like a dream and not be found;

they will be chased away like a vision of the night.

9 The eye that saw them will see them no more,

nor will their place behold them any longer.

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

2 “Therefore my disquieting thoughts bring me back

for the sake of my inward excitement.

3 I hear discipline that insults me,

and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.

4 “Did you know this from of old,

since the setting of the human being on earth,

5 that the rejoicing of the wicked is short,

and the joy of the godless lasts only a moment?

6 Even though his stature mounts up to the heaven,

and his head reaches to the clouds,

7 he will perish forever like his dung;

those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8 He will fly away like a dream, and they will not find him,

and he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

9 The eye that saw him will not see him again,

and his place will no longer behold him.

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied,

2 “My troubled thoughts force me to answer you.

That’s because I’m very upset.

3 What you have just said makes fun of me.

So I really have to reply to you.

4 “I’m sure you must know how things have always been.

They’ve been that way

ever since man was placed on this earth.

5 Those who are evil are happy for only a short time.

The joy of ungodly people lasts only for a moment.

6 Their pride might reach all the way up to the heavens.

Their heads might touch the clouds.

7 But they will disappear forever,

like the waste from their own bodies.

Anyone who has seen them will say,

‘Where did they go?’

8 Like a dream they will fly away.

They will never be seen again.

They will be driven away like visions in the night.

9 The eyes that saw them won’t see them anymore.

Even their own families won’t remember them.

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2 “Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond,

Even because of my inward agitation.

3 “I listened to the reproof which insults me,

And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

4 “Do you know this from of old,

From the establishment of man on earth,

5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the godless momentary?

6 “Though his loftiness reaches the heavens,

And his head touches the clouds,

7 He perishes forever like his refuse;

Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8 “He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him;

Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.

9 “The eye which saw him sees him no longer,

And his place no longer beholds him.