Job 20

Thomson^{(i) 1} Then answered Sophar the Minaian and said, ² I did not suppose that thou wouldst return such an answer, but do not you feel it more than I? ³ Am I to hear my modesty corrected? And is a spirit from its consciousness to answer me? ⁴ Thou hast never known such things heretofore, from the time man was placed on the earth! ⁵ But the mirth of the wicked is sudden ruin, and the joy of transgressors, destruction, ⁶ though his gifts mount up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds. ⁷ For when he thinketh that he is now firmly established, then shall he be utterly destroyed; and they who have seen him will say, Where is he? ⁸ Like a dream which is gone, he cannot be found. He is vanished, like a spectre in the night. ⁹ The eye which saw him, shall see him no more; and his place shall no more him observe. ¹⁰ Let minors destroy his children, and his own hands light up the signals of distress. ¹¹ His bones were full of his youth, but with him it shall go to rest beneath the mound. ¹² If wickedness be sweet in his mouth, he will hide it under his tongue. ¹³ He will not be sparing of it, nor forsake it, but will gather it together in his mouth; therefore let him not be able to help himself. ¹⁴ The poison of an asp is in his belly. ¹⁵ Riches collected unrighteously shall be vomited up. Out of his house let an angel drag him. ¹⁶ May he suck the venom of dragons! and may the tongue of the viper slay him! ¹⁷ may he never see the milking of his kine, nor the distribution of his honey and butter! ¹⁸ He hath wearied himself for emptiness and vanity; for riches, of which he shall not have a taste, which are like a bur, neither to be chewed nor drunk. ¹⁹ Because he broke up the families of princes; and plundered dwellings and suffered them not to stand ²⁰ There is no security for his possessions; nor shall he be saved by what he valueth highly. ²¹ Not a scrap of his provisions is left. His good things shall not, on this account, be renewed. ²² In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be afflicted, and all manner of distress shall come upon him. ²³ If by any means he be permitted to fill his belly; may he send against him fiery indignation, and pour upon him sorrows! ²⁴ Let him not escape from the edge of the sword! ²⁵ May the brasen bow wound him, and the dart pass through his body, and stars light on his dwellings! ²⁶ May terrors stalk around him and total darkness await him! An unkindled fire devoureth him. May his guest also afflict his family! ²⁷ may the heaven disclose his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him! ²⁸ May destruction bring his house to an end! Upon him may there come a day of wrath! ²⁹ This is the portion of a wicked man from the Lord, and this his possession, from the superintending Being.