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Zophar Says, "The Triumph of the Wicked Is Short"

¹ Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

² "Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me answer,
Because of the uneasiness that is within me.

³ "I have heard ^(C1)the reproof which insults me,
But the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

⁴ "Do you not know this from ^(C1)the old days,
Since the time that man was placed on the earth,

⁵ That the ^(C1)triumphing of the wicked is short,
And ^(C2)the joy of the godless is only for a moment? ^(VR1)

⁶ "Though his pride ^(C1)reaches the heavens
And his head touches the clouds,

⁷ Yet he ^(C1)perishes forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him ^(C2)will say, 'Where is he?'

⁸ "He flies away like a ^(C1)dream and cannot be found;
Yes, he is ^(C2)chased away like a vision of the night.

⁹ "The ^(C1)eye which saw him sees him no longer,
Neither does ^(C2)his accustomed place behold him any longer.

¹⁰ "His ^(C1)sons favor the poor and pay his obligations,
And his hands ^(C2)give back his ill-gotten wealth.

¹¹ "His ^(C1)bones are full of youthful strength
But it lies down with him in the dust.

¹² "Though ^(C1)evil and wickedness are sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,

¹³ Though he desires it and will not let it go
But holds it in ^(C1)his mouth,

¹⁴ Yet his food turns to poison in his stomach;
It is the venom of vipers within him.

¹⁵ "He swallows his ill-gotten riches,
But will ^(C1)vomit them up;
God will drive them out of his belly.

¹⁶ "He sucks ^(C1)the poison of vipers which ill-gotten wealth contains;
The viper's tongue slays him.

¹⁷ "He does not look at ^(C1)the rivers,
The flowing streams of honey and butter to enjoy his wealth.

¹⁸ "He ^(C1)gives back what he has labored for and attained
And cannot swallow it down to enjoy it;
As to the riches of his labor,
He cannot even enjoy them.

¹⁹ "For he has ^(C1)oppressed and neglected the poor;
He has violently taken away houses which he did not build.

²⁰ "Because he knew no quietness or calm within him because of his greed,
He does ^(C1)not retain anything he desires.

²¹ "There is nothing left of what he devoured;
Therefore ^(C1)his prosperity does not endure.

²² "In the fullness of his excess (great abundance) he will be in trouble;
The ^(C1)hand of everyone who suffers will come against him he is miserable on every side.

²³ "When he ^(C1)fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And will ^(C2)rain it upon him while he is eating. ^(VR1)

²⁴ "He may ^(C1)flee from the iron weapon,
But the bow of bronze will pierce him through.

²⁵ "The arrow is drawn forth and it comes out of his back after passing through his body;
Yes, the glittering point comes out of ^(C1)his gall.
^(C2)Terrors march in upon him;

²⁶ Complete ^(C1)darkness (misfortune) is held in reserve for his treasures.
An unfanned ^(C2)fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.

²⁷ "The ^(C1)heavens will reveal his wickedness and guilt,
And the earth will rise up against him.

²⁸ "The produce and ^(C1)increase of his house will depart with the victors;
His possessions will be dragged away ^(C2)in the day of God's wrath.

²⁹ "This is the wicked man's ^(C1)portion from God,
And the heritage decreed and appointed to him by God."