Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

Because of this, my disquieting thoughts answer me; And hence my haste is in me.

I hear the reproof that humiliates me, And the spirit of my understanding answers me.

Do you not know this from of old, Since man was set upon the earth,

That the joyous shouting of the wicked is short, And the rejoicing of the profane is but for a moment?

Though his arrogance goes up to heaven, And his head touches the clouds;

Like his own dung he perishes forever; Those who have seen him say, Where is he?

Like a dream he flies away and is not found; Indeed he is chased away like a vision of the night.

The eye looks on him then sees him no more, Nor does his place observe him anymore.

His children seek the favor of the poor, And his hands return his wealth.

His bones are full of youthful vigor, Yet it lies down with him in the dust.

Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, Though he hides it under his tongue,

Though he favors it and will not forsake it, But holds it in his mouth;

His food in his bowels is changed; It is the venom of asps within him.

He swallows down riches and vomits them up; God casts them forth from his stomach.

He sucks the poison of asps; The tongue of the viper slays him.

He will not look on the rivers, The streams flowing with honey and butter.

He will return what he toiled for and will not swallow it down; And he will not rejoice according to the wealth of his trading.

For he has oppressed and abandoned the poor; He has violently seized a house that he did not build.

Because he knew no respite in his craving, Of that which he desired he will save nothing.

There will be nothing left of what he has devoured; Thus his prosperity will not endure.

In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be distressed; The hand of everyone in trouble will come against him.

In order to fill his belly, God will send the burning fierceness of His wrath on him And will rain it upon him as his food.

He will flee from the iron weapon, But the bronze bow will strike him through.

He draws the arrow out, and it comes out of his body; Indeed the glittering point goes forth from his gall. Terrors come upon him.

Total darkness is laid up as his treasures; A fire not fanned by man will devour him; It will feed on what is left in his tent.

The heavens will reveal his iniquity, And the earth will rise up against him.

The increase of his house will depart As things swept away in the day of His wrath.

This is the wicked man's portion from God And the inheritance decreed to him by God.