Job 20:4–7

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?’

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?

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?’

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?’

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?’

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?

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?

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?’ 

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?”

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?’

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?’

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?’

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?’