1. Now Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
2. "Therefore my thoughts will cause me to answer me, and because of my silence that is within me,
3. the chastisement of my disgrace I hear, and a spirit of my understanding will answer me.
4. Do you know this from time immemorial, since man was placed on the earth,
5. that the triumph of the wicked is short, and the joy of the flatterers is but a moment?
6. If his height ascends to the heavens and his head reaches the clouds,
7. like his dung, he shall perish forever; those who see him will say, 'Where is he?'
8. Like a dream, he will fly away and they will not find him; and he will wander away like a vision of the night.
9. The eye that glimpsed him will do so no more, and his place will see him no longer.
10. His sons will placate the poor, and his hands will return his plunder.
11. His bones are full of his youth, and it will lie on the dust with him.
12. Though evil be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
13. Though he spare it and will not let it go, but keep it on the middle of his palate;
14. His food will turn into the venom of cobras within him.
15. He swallowed up wealth and vomited it out, and from his belly God will cast it.
16. He will suck the venom of cobras; the tongue of the carpet viper will kill him.
17. He will not see the rivulets, the flowing rivers of honey and cream.
18. He will return that which he labored for and he will not swallow it; when his gain becomes vast wealth, he will not rejoice.
19. When he oppressed, he abandoned the poor; he stole a house, which he did not build.
20. For he did not know any rest in his stomach; with his beauty he will not save anything.
21. Nothing remains of his food; therefore his goods shall not prosper.
22. When his desire has been filled sufficiently, he will be in straits; the hand of every laborer will come upon him.
23. It shall come to pass that to fill his belly, He shall send upon him His burning wrath and rain upon them with His battle.
24. He shall flee from iron weapons; a copper bow shall pierce him.
25. One drew it and it emerged from its sheath and its glittering blade shall come forth from its bitterness, [bringing] terrors upon him.
26. All darkness is hidden for what awaits him; fire that was not blown shall consume him; harm shall befall the survivor in his tent.
27. The heavens shall reveal his iniquity and the earth shall rise up against him.
28. The produce of his house shall go into exile; [his goods] shall flow away on the day of His wrath.
29. This is the lot of a wicked man, from God; and the inheritance appointed him by God."
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