Zophar Depicts the Portion of the Wicked

201 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, 2 “Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me,
even by reason of my haste that is in me. 3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame.
The spirit of my understanding answers me. 4 Don’t you know this from old time,
since man was placed on earth, 5 that the triumphing of the wicked is short,
the joy of the godless but for a moment? 6 Though his height mount up to the heavens,
and his head reach to the clouds, 7 yet he shall perish forever like his own dung.
Those who have seen him shall say, ‘Where is he?’ 8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found.
Yes, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night. 9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more,
neither shall his place any more see him.

10 His children shall seek the favor of the poor.
His hands shall give back his wealth. 11 His bones are full of his youth,
but youth shall lie down with him in the dust. 12 “Though wickedness is 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 still within his mouth; 14 yet his food in his bowels is turned.
It is cobra venom within him. 15 He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again.
God will cast them out of his belly. 16 He shall suck cobra venom.
The viper’s tongue shall kill him. 17 He shall not look at the rivers,
the flowing streams of honey and butter. 18 That for which he labored he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down.
According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice. 19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor.
He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up. 20 “Because he knew no quietness within him,
he shall not save anything of that in which he delights. 21 There was nothing left that he didn’t devour,
therefore his prosperity shall not endure. 22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him.
The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.

23 When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him.
It will rain on him while he is eating. 24 He shall flee from the iron weapon.
The bronze arrow shall strike him through. 25 He draws it forth, and it comes out of his body.
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver.
Terrors are on him. 26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures.
An unfanned fire shall devour him.
It shall consume that which is left in his tent. 27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity.
The earth shall rise up against him. 28 The increase of his house shall depart.
They shall rush away in the day of his wrath. 29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God,
the heritage appointed to him by God.”

Job Bewails His Birth

31 After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth. 2 Job answered: 3 “Let the day perish in which I was born,
the night which said, ‘There is a boy conceived.’ 4 Let that day be darkness.
Don’t let God from above seek for it,
neither let the light shine on it. 5 Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own.
Let a cloud dwell on it.
Let all that makes black the day terrify it. 6 As for that night, let thick darkness seize on it.
Let it not rejoice among the days of the year.
Let it not come into the number of the months. 7 Behold, let that night be barren.
Let no joyful voice come therein. 8 Let them curse it who curse the day,
who are ready to rouse up leviathan. 9 Let the stars of its twilight be dark.
Let it look for light, but have none,
neither let it see the eyelids of the morning, 10 because it didn’t shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,
nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “Why didn’t I die from the womb?
Why didn’t I give up the spirit when my mother bore me? 12 Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breast, that I should suck? 13 For now should I have lain down and been quiet.
I should have slept, then I would have been at rest, 14 with kings and counselors of the earth,
who built up waste places for themselves; 15 or with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver: 16 or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been,
as infants who never saw light. 17 There the wicked cease from troubling.
There the weary are at rest. 18 There the prisoners are at ease together.
They don’t hear the voice of the taskmaster. 19 The small and the great are there.
The servant is free from his master.

20 “Why is light given to him who is in misery,
life to the bitter in soul, 21 Who long for death, but it doesn’t come;
and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, 22 who rejoice exceedingly,
and are glad, when they can find the grave? 23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid,
whom God has hedged in? 24 For my sighing comes before I eat.
My groanings are poured out like water. 25 For the thing which I fear comes on me,
That which I am afraid of comes to me. 26 I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest;
but trouble comes.”