Job 20

¹And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —

²Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.

³The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:

⁴This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?

⁵That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

⁶Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike —

⁷As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: 'Where [is] he?'

⁸As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,

⁹The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.

¹⁰His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.

¹¹His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

¹²Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,

¹³Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,

¹⁴His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart.

¹⁵Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.