Job 20:4–11

Do you not know this from of old,

since man was placed on earth,

that the exulting of the wicked is short,

and the joy of the godless but for a moment?

Though his height mount up to the heavens,

and his head reach to the clouds,

he will perish forever like his own dung;

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

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

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

The eye that saw him will see him no more,

nor will his place any more behold him.

His children will seek the favor of the poor,

and his hands will give back his wealth.

His bones are full of his youthful vigor,

but it will lie down with him in the dust.

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

ever since mankind was placed on the earth,

that the mirth of the wicked is brief,

the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.

Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens

and his head touches the clouds,

he will perish forever, like his own dung;

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

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

banished like a vision of the night.

The eye that saw him will not see him again;

his place will look on him no more.

His children must make amends to the poor;

his own hands must give back his wealth.

The youthful vigor that fills his bones

will lie with him in the dust.

Don’t you know that ever since antiquity,

from the time a human was placed on earth,

the joy of the wicked has been brief

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

Though his arrogance reaches heaven,

and his head touches the clouds,

he will vanish forever like his own dung.

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

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

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

The eye that saw him will see him no more,

and his household will no longer see him.

His children will beg from the poor,

for his own hands must give back his wealth.

His frame may be full of youthful vigor,

but it will lie down with him in dust.

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

ever since people were first placed on the earth,

the triumph of the wicked has been short lived

and the joy of the godless has been only temporary?

Though the pride of the godless reaches to the heavens

and their heads touch the clouds,

yet they will vanish forever,

thrown away like their own dung.

Those who knew them will ask,

‘Where are they?’

They will fade like a dream and not be found.

They will vanish like a vision in the night.

Those who once saw them will see them no more.

Their families will never see them again.

Their children will beg from the poor,

for they must give back their stolen riches.

Though they are young,

their bones will lie in the dust.

“Did you know this from of old,

since the setting of the human being on earth,

that the rejoicing of the wicked is short,

and the joy of the godless lasts only a moment?

Even though his stature mounts up to the heaven,

and his head reaches to the clouds,

he will perish forever like his dung;

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

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.

The eye that saw him will not see him again,

and his place will no longer behold him.

His children will seek favors from the poor,

and his hands will return his wealth.

His bones were full of his vigor,

but it will lie down with him on the dust.

Knowest thou not this of old,

Since man was placed upon earth,

That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

Though his excellency mount up to the heavens,

And his head reach unto the clouds;

Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung:

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

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

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

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

Neither shall his place any more behold him.

His children shall seek to please the poor,

And his hands shall restore their goods.

His bones are full of the sin of his youth,

Which shall lie down with him in the dust.