English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
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Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
2 “Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me.
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"Pay attention! My thoughts urge me to answer, because of the agitation within me.
3 I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
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I hear censure that insults me, and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.
4 Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth,
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Do you not know this from of old, ever since mortals were placed on earth,
5 that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
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that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
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Even though they mount up high as the heavens, and their head reaches to the clouds,
7 he will perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he? ’
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they will perish forever like their own dung; those who have seen them will say, "Where are they?'
8 He will fly away like a dream and not be found; he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
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They will fly away like a dream, and not be found; they will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him.
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The eye that saw them will see them no more, nor will their place behold them any longer.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth.
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Their children will seek the favor of the poor, and their hands will give back their wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in the dust.
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Their bodies, once full of youth, will lie down in the dust with them.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue,
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"Though wickedness is sweet in their mouth, though they hide it under their tongues,
13 though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth,
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though they are loath to let it go, and hold it in their mouths,
14 yet his food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him.
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yet their food is turned in their stomachs; it is the venom of asps within them.
15 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly.
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They swallow down riches and vomit them up again; God casts them out of their bellies.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him.
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They will suck the poison of asps; the tongue of a viper will kill them.
17 He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds.
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They will not look on the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds.
18 He will give back the fruit of his toil and will not swallow it down; from the profit of his trading he will get no enjoyment.
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They will give back the fruit of their toil, and will not swallow it down; from the profit of their trading they will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build.
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For they have crushed and abandoned the poor, they have seized a house that they did not build.
20 “Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.
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"They knew no quiet in their bellies; in their greed they let nothing escape.
21 There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore his prosperity will not endure.
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There was nothing left after they had eaten; therefore their prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.
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In full sufficiency they will be in distress; all the force of misery will come upon them.
23 To fill his belly to the full, God will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body.
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To fill their belly to the full God will send his fierce anger into them, and rain it upon them as their food.
24 He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through.
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They will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike them through.
25 It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; terrors come upon him.
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It is drawn forth and comes out of their body, and the glittering point comes out of their gall; terrors come upon them.
26 Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; what is left in his tent will be consumed.
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Utter darkness is laid up for their treasures; a fire fanned by no one will devour them; what is left in their tent will be consumed.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.
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The heavens will reveal their iniquity, and the earth will rise up against them.
28 The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God’s wrath.
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The possessions of their house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God's wrath.
29 This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God. ”
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This is the portion of the wicked from God, the heritage decreed for them by God."
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.