1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and saide,
2 Doubtlesse my thoughts cause me to answere, and therefore I make haste.
3 I haue heard the correction of my reproch: therefore the spirite of mine vnderstanding causeth me to answere.
4 Knowest thou not this of olde? and since God placed man vpon the earth,
5 That the reioycing of the wicked is short, and that the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment?
6 Though his excellencie mount vp to the heauen, and his head reache vnto the cloudes,
7 Yet shall hee perish for euer, like his dung, and they which haue seene him, shall say, Where is hee?
8 He shall flee away as a dreame, and they shall not finde him, and shall passe away as a vision of the night,
9 So that the eye which had seene him, shall do so no more, and his place shall see him no more.
10 His children shall flatter the poore, and his hands shall restore his substance.
11 His bones are full of the sinne of his youth, and it shall lie downe with him in the dust.
12 When wickednesse was sweete in his mouth, and he hid it vnder his tongue,
13 And fauoured it, and would not forsake it, but kept it close in his mouth,
14 Then his meat in his bowels was turned: the gall of Aspes was in the middes of him.
15 He hath deuoured substance, and hee shall vomit it: for God shall drawe it out of his bellie.
16 He shall sucke the gall of Aspes, and the vipers tongue shall slay him.
17 He shall not see the riuers, nor the floods and streames of honie and butter.
18 He shall restore the labour, and shall deuoure no more: euen according to the substance shalbe his exchange, and he shall enioy it no more.
19 For he hath vndone many: he hath forsaken the poore, and hath spoyled houses which he builded not.
20 Surely he shall feele no quietnes in his bodie, neither shall he reserue of that which he desired.
21 There shall none of his meate bee left: therefore none shall hope for his goods.
22 When he shalbe filled with his abundance, he shalbe in paine, and the hand of all the wicked shall assaile him.
23 He shall be about to fill his belly, but God shall sende vpon him his fierce wrath, and shall cause to rayne vpon him, euen vpon his meate.
24 He shall flee from the yron weapons, and the bow of steele shall strike him through.
25 The arrowe is drawen out, and commeth forth of the body, and shineth of his gall, so feare commeth vpon him.
26 All darkenes shalbe hid in his secret places: the fire that is not blowen, shall deuoure him, and that which remaineth in his tabernacle, shalbe destroyed.
27 The heauen shall declare his wickednes, and the earth shall rise vp against him.
28 The increase of his house shall go away: it shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage that he shall haue of God for his wordes.