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Job 20
New International Version

### Zophar

20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:

2 “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.(B)
3 I hear a rebuke(C) that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.

4 “Surely you know how it has been from of old,(D)
ever since mankind[a] was placed on the earth,
5 that the mirth of the wicked(E) is brief,
the joy of the godless(F) lasts but a moment.(G)
6 Though the pride(H) of the godless person reaches to the heavens(I)
and his head touches the clouds,(J)
7 he will perish forever,(K) like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’(L)
8 Like a dream(M) he flies away,(N) no more to be found,
banished(O) like a vision of the night.(P)
9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.(Q)
10 His children(R) must make amends to the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.(S)
11 The youthful vigor(T) that fills his bones(U)
will lie with him in the dust.(V)

12 “Though evil(W) is sweet in his mouth
and he hides it under his tongue,(X)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
and lets it linger in his mouth,(Y)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;(Z)
it will become the venom of serpents(AA) within him.
15 He will spit out the riches(AB) he swallowed;
God will make his stomach vomit(AC) them up.
16 He will suck the poison(AD) of serpents;
the fangs of an adder will kill him.(AE)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers(AF) flowing with honey(AG) and cream.(AH)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;(AI)
he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.(AJ)
19 For he has oppressed the poor(AK) and left them destitute;(AL)
he has seized houses(AM) he did not build.

20 “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;(AN)
he cannot save himself by his treasure.(AO)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
his prosperity will not endure.(AP)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;(AQ)
the full force of misery will come upon him.(AR)
23 When he has filled his belly,(AS)
God will vent his burning anger(AT) against him
and rain down his blows on him.(AU)
24 Though he flees(AV) from an iron weapon,
a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.(AW)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors(AX) will come over him;(AY)
26 total darkness(AZ) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire(BA) unfanned will consume him(BB)
and devour what is left in his tent.(BC)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
the earth will rise up against him.(BD)
28 A flood will carry off his house,(BE)
rushing waters[b] on the day of God’s wrath.(BF)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God.”(BG)

#### Footnotes

1. Job 20:4 Or Adam
2. Job 20:28 Or The possessions in his house will be carried off, / washed away

#### Cross references

1. Job 20:1 : S Job 2:11
2. Job 20:2 : Ps 42:5; La 1:20
3. Job 20:3 : Job 19:3
4. Job 20:4 : Dt 4:32; S 32:7
5. Job 20:5 : Ps 94:3
6. Job 20:5 : S Job 8:13
7. Job 20:5 : S Job 8:12; Ps 37:35-36; 73:19
8. Job 20:6 : Job 33:17; Isa 16:6
9. Job 20:6 : S Ge 11:4
10. Job 20:6 : Isa 14:13-14; Ob 1:3-4
11. Job 20:7 : S Job 4:20
12. Job 20:7 : S Job 7:8; S 14:20
13. Job 20:8 : Ps 73:20; Ecc 5:3
14. Job 20:8 : Ps 90:10; Ecc 6:12; 12:7
15. Job 20:8 : S Job 18:11
16. Job 20:8 : Job 27:20; 34:20; Ps 90:5; Isa 17:14; 29:7
17. Job 20:9 : S Job 7:8
18. Job 20:10 : S Job 5:4
19. Job 20:10 : ver 15, 18, 20; S Job 3:15; 31:8
20. Job 20:11 : S Job 13:26
21. Job 20:11 : Job 21:24
22. Job 20:11 : S Job 17:16
23. Job 20:12 : S Job 15:16
24. Job 20:12 : Ps 10:7; 140:3
25. Job 20:13 : S Nu 11:18-20
26. Job 20:14 : Pr 20:17; Jer 2:19; 4:18; Rev 10:9
27. Job 20:14 : S Nu 21:6
28. Job 20:15 : S ver 10
29. Job 20:15 : S Lev 18:25
30. Job 20:16 : S Dt 32:32
31. Job 20:16 : Dt 32:24
32. Job 20:17 : Ps 36:8
33. Job 20:17 : Dt 32:13
34. Job 20:17 : Dt 32:14; Job 29:6
35. Job 20:18 : S ver 10; S Job 5:5
36. Job 20:18 : Ps 109:11
37. Job 20:19 : S Job 5:16; Ps 10:2; 94:6; 109:16
38. Job 20:19 : S Dt 15:11; 24:14; Job 24:4, 14; 35:9; Pr 14:31; 28:28; Am 8:4
39. Job 20:19 : Isa 5:8
40. Job 20:20 : Ecc 5:12-14
41. Job 20:20 : S ver 10; Pr 11:4; Zep 1:18; Lk 12:15
42. Job 20:21 : S Job 7:8
43. Job 20:22 : S Jdg 2:15; Lk 12:16-20
44. Job 20:22 : ver 29; Job 21:17, 30; 31:2-3
45. Job 20:23 : S Nu 11:18-20
46. Job 20:23 : La 4:11; Eze 5:13; 6:12
47. Job 20:23 : ver 14; Ps 78:30-31
48. Job 20:24 : Isa 24:18; Jer 46:21; 48:44
49. Job 20:24 : S Job 15:22
50. Job 20:25 : S Job 18:11
51. Job 20:25 : S Job 15:21; Ps 88:15-16
52. Job 20:26 : S Job 5:14
53. Job 20:26 : S Job 1:16
54. Job 20:26 : Job 15:34; 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; Ps 21:9
55. Job 20:26 : S Job 18:15
56. Job 20:27 : S Dt 31:28
57. Job 20:28 : Dt 28:31; Mt 7:26-27
58. Job 20:28 : ver 29; Nu 14:28-32; Job 21:17, 20, 30; 40:11; Ps 60:3; 75:8; Pr 16:4; Isa 24:18; 51:17; Am 5:18; Jn 3:36; Ro 1:18; Eph 5:6
59. Job 20:29 : S ver 22; S Job 15:20; 22:5; 31:2; 36:17; Jer 13:25; Rev 21:8

New International Version (NIV)

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