Zophar's Second Speech

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite (a)answered,

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:

1 Then Zophar from Naamath replied:

2 For this cause my thoughts are troubling me and driving me on.

2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

2 “Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me (b)respond,Even because of my (c)inward agitation.

2 This is why my unsettling thoughts compel me to answer,because I am upset!(a)

2 "Therefore my anxious thoughts cause me to answer because I'm agitated within me.

3 I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.

3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

3 “I listened to (A)the reproof which insults me,And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

3 I have heard a rebuke that insults me,and my understanding(b) makes me reply.(B)

3 Whenever I hear an insulting rebuke, I respond from my spirit because I understand."

A Wicked Person's Joy Is Short, His Pain Long

4 Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,

4 Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

4 “Do you know this from (B)of old,From the establishment of man on earth,

4 Don’t you know that ever since antiquity,from the time man was placed on earth,

4 "Haven't you known this from ancient times, since mankind was placed on the earth?

5 That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?

5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

5 That the (C)triumphing of the wicked is short,And (D)the joy of the godless momentary?

5 the joy of the wicked has been briefand the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?(C)

5 The wicked triumph only briefly; the joy of the godless is momentary.

6 Though he is lifted up to the heavens, and his head goes up to the clouds;

6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;

6 “Though his loftiness (d)(E)reaches the heavens,And his head touches the clouds,

6 Though his arrogance reaches heaven,and his head touches the clouds,(D)

6 Though he grow as tall as the sky, or though his head touches the clouds,

7 Like the waste from his body he comes to an end for ever: those who have seen him say, Where is he?

7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

7 He (F)perishes forever like his refuse;Those who have seen him (G)will say, ‘Where is he?’

7 he will vanish forever like his own dung.Those who know(c) him will ask, “Where is he?”(E)

7 he'll perish forever, like his own excrement; those who saw him will ask, "Where is he?'

8 He is gone like a dream, and is not seen again; he goes in flight like a vision of the night.

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

8 “He flies away like a (H)dream, and they cannot find him;Even like a vision of the night he is (I)chased away.

8 He will fly away like a dream and never be found;he will be chased away like a vision in the night.(F)

8 He'll vanish like a dream, and no one will find him; he will be chased away like a night vision."

9 The eye which saw him sees him no longer; and his place has no more knowledge of him.

9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

9 “The (J)eye which saw him sees him no longer,And (K)his place no longer beholds him.

9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,(G)and his household will no longer see him.(H)

9 "An eye that gazes at him won't do so again; and his place won't even recognize him.

10 His children are hoping that the poor will be kind to them, and his hands give back his wealth.

10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

10 “His (L)sons (e)favor the poor,And his hands (M)give back his wealth.

10 His children will beg from(d) the poor,for his own hands must give back his wealth.

10 His sons will make amends to the poor; their hands will return his wealth.

11 His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.

11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

11 “His (N)bones are full of his youthful vigor,But it lies down with him (f)in the dust.

11 His bones may be full of youthful vigor,but will lie down with him in the grave.(I)

11 Though his bones were full of youthful vigor; yet they will lie down with him in the dust.

12 Though evil-doing is sweet in his mouth, and he keeps it secretly under his tongue;

12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;

12 “Though (O)evil is sweet in his mouthAnd he hides it under his tongue,

12 Though evil tastes sweet in his mouthand he conceals it under his tongue,

12 Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth, though he conceals it under his tongue,

13 Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;

13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:

13 Though he (g)desires it and will not let it go,But holds it (P)in his (h)mouth,

13 though he cherishes it and will not let it gobut keeps it in his mouth,(J)

13 though he savors it and delays swallowing it so he can taste it again and again in his mouth,

14 His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.

14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.

14 Yet his food in his stomach is changedTo the (i)venom of cobras within him.

14 yet the food in his stomach turnsinto cobras’ venom inside him.

14 his food will turn rancid in his stomach it will become a cobra's poison inside him.

15 He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God.

15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

15 “He swallows riches,But will (Q)vomit them up;God will expel them from his belly.

15 He swallows wealth but must vomit it up;God will force it from his stomach.

15 "Though he swallows wealth, he will vomit it; God will dislodge it from his stomach.

16 He takes the poison of snakes into his mouth, the tongue of the snake is the cause of his death.

16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.

16 “He sucks (R)the poison of cobras;The viper’s tongue slays him.

16 He will suck the poison of cobras;a viper’s fangs(e) will kill him.(K)

16 He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will slay him.

17 Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.

17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

17 “He does not look at (S)the streams,The rivers flowing with honey and curds.

17 He will not enjoy the streams,the rivers flowing with honey and cream.(L)

17 He won't look at the rivers the torrents of honey and curd.

18 He is forced to give back the fruit of his work, and may not take it for food; he has no joy in the profit of his trading.

18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

18 “He (T)returns what he has attainedAnd cannot swallow it;As to the riches of his trading,He cannot even enjoy them.

18 He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it;he doesn’t enjoy the profits from his trading.

18 "He will restore what he has attained from his work and won't consume it; he won't enjoy the profits from his business transactions,

19 Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;

19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

19 “For he has (U)oppressed and forsaken the poor;He has seized a house which he has not built.

19 For he oppressed and abandoned the poor;he seized a house he did not build.(M)

19 because he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he didn't build.

20 There is no peace for him in his wealth, and no salvation for him in those things in which he took delight.

20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

20 “Because he knew no quiet (j)within him,He does (V)not retain anything he desires.

20 Because his appetite is never satisfied,(f)he does not let anything he desires escape.

20 "Since his appetite won't quit; he won't let anything escape his lust.

21 He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.

21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

21 “Nothing remains (k)for him to devour,Therefore (W)his prosperity does not endure.

21 Nothing is left for him to consume;(N)therefore, his prosperity will not last.

21 Because nothing was left for him to devour, therefore his prosperity won't last.

22 Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.

22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

22 “In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped;The (X)hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

22 At the height of his success(g) distress will come to him;(O)the full weight of misery(h) will crush him.

22 Even though he is satiated and self-sufficient, he suffers everyone in any sort of trouble will attack him.

23 God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.

23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

23 “When he (Y)fills his belly,God will send His fierce anger on himAnd will (Z)rain it on him (l)while he is eating.

23 When he fills his stomach,God will send His burning anger against him,raining(P) it down on him while he is eating.(i)

23 "It will come about that, when he has filled himself to the full, God will vent his burning anger on him; he will pour it out on him and on his body.

24 He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.

24 “He may (AA)flee from the iron weapon,But the bronze bow will pierce him.

24 If he flees from an iron weapon,an arrow from a bronze bow will pierce him.

24 Though he dodges an iron weapon, a bronze arrow will pierce him.

25 He is pulling it out, and it comes out of his back; and its shining point comes out of his side; he is overcome by fears.

25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

25 “It is drawn forth and comes out of his back,Even the glittering point from (AB)his gall.(AC)Terrors come upon him,

25 He pulls it out of his back,the flashing tip out of his liver.(j)Terrors come over him.(Q)

25 It will impale him and come out through his back; the point will glisten as it protrudes through his gall bladder, and he will be terrified.

26 All his wealth is stored up for the dark: a fire not made by man sends destruction on him, and on everything in his tent.

26 All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

26 Complete (AD)darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,And unfanned (AE)fire will devour him;It will consume the survivor in his tent.

26 Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.A fire unfanned by human hands will consume(R) him;it will feed on what is left in his tent.

26 "Total darkness has been reserved for his treasures; a fire that has no need to be kindled will devour him and consume whatever remains in his possession.

27 The heavens make clear his sin, and the earth gives witness against him.

27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

27 “The (AF)heavens will reveal his iniquity,And the earth will rise up against him.

27 The heavens will expose his iniquity,(S)and the earth will rise up against him.(T)

27 Heaven will reveal his iniquity, while the earth will rise up against him.

28 The produce of his house is taken away into another country, like things given into the hands of others in the day of wrath.

28 The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

28 “The (AG)increase of his house will depart;His possessions will flow away (AH)in the day of His anger.

28 The possessions in his house will be removed,flowing away on the day of God’s anger.

28 A flood will wash away his house; dragging it away when God becomes angry.

29 This is the reward of the evil man, and the heritage given to him by God.

29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.

29 “This is the wicked man’s (AI)portion from God,Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”

29 This is the wicked man’s lot(U) from God,the inheritance God ordained for him.

29 This is what the wicked person inherits from God; it is the inheritance that God appoints for him."

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain

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