1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

2“My thoughts make me answer quickly
because of the worry that is in me.

3I hear a rebuke that dishonors me,
but a spirit from my understanding answers me.

4Do you not know this fact from ancient times,
when God placed man on earth:

5the triumph of a wicked man is short,
and the joy of a godless man lasts only for a moment?

6Though his height reaches up to the heavens,
and his head reaches to the clouds,

7yet such a person will perish permanently like his own feces;
those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'

8He will fly away like a dream and will not be found;
indeed, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

9The eye that saw him will see him no more;
his place will see him no longer.

10His children will apologize to poor people;
his hands will have to give back his wealth.

11His bones are full of youthful strength,
but it will lie down with him in the dust.

12Although wickedness is sweet in his mouth,
although he hides it under his tongue,

13although he holds it there and does not let it go
but keeps it still in his mouth—

14the food in his intestines turns bitter;
it becomes the poison of asps inside him.

15He swallows down riches, but he will vomit them up again;
God will cast them out of his stomach.

16He will suck the poison of asps;
the viper's tongue will kill him.

17He will not enjoy the streams,
the torrents of honey and butter.

18He will give back the fruit of his labor and will not be able to eat it;
he will not enjoy the wealth earned by his commerce.

19For he has oppressed and neglected poor people;
he has violently taken away houses that he did not build.

20Because he has known no satisfaction himself,
he will not be able to save anything in which he takes pleasure.

21There is nothing left that he did not devour;
therefore his prosperity will not be permanent.

22In the abundance of his wealth he will fall into trouble;
the hand of everyone who is in poverty will come against him.

23When he is about to fill his stomach, God will throw the fierceness of his wrath on him;
God will rain it down on him while he is eating.

24Although that man will flee from the iron weapon,
a bow of bronze will shoot him.

25He pulls it out of his back
and the gleaming point comes out of his liver.
Terrors come over him.

26Complete darkness is reserved for his treasures;
a fire not fanned will devour him;
it will consume what is left in his tent.

27The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
and the earth will rise up against him as a witness.

28The wealth of his house will vanish;
his goods will flow away on the day of God's wrath.

29This is the wicked man's portion from God,
the heritage reserved for him by God.”