Job 20

Zophar
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

2 "My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.

3 I hear a rebuke that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.

4 "Surely you know how it has been from of old,
ever since man was placed on the earth,

5 that the mirth of the wicked is brief,
the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.

6 Though his pride reaches to the heavens
and his head touches the clouds,

7 he will perish forever, like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'

8 Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found,
banished like a vision of the night.

9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.

10 His children must make amends to the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.

11 The youthful vigor that fills his bones
will lie with him in the dust.

12 "Though evil is sweet in his mouth
and he hides it under his tongue,

13 though he cannot bear to let it go
and keeps it in his mouth,

14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;
it will become the venom of serpents within him.

15 He will spit out the riches he swallowed;
God will make his stomach vomit them up.

16 He will suck the poison of serpents;
the fangs of an adder will kill him.

17 He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers flowing with honey and cream.

18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;
he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.

19 For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute;
he has seized houses he did not build.

20 "Surely he will have no respite from his craving;
he cannot save himself by his treasure.

21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
his prosperity will not endure.

22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;
the full force of misery will come upon him.

23 When he has filled his belly,
God will vent his burning anger against him
and rain down his blows upon him.

24 Though he flees from an iron weapon,
a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.

25 He pulls it out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors will come over him;

26 total darkness lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire unfanned will consume him
and devour what is left in his tent.

27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
the earth will rise up against him.

28 A flood will carry off his house,
rushing waters on the day of God's wrath.

29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God."

Side Notes:

Zophar speech again revealed his false assumption because he based his arguments purely on the idea that Job was an evil hypocrite. Zophar claimed that while Job did have it good for a while, he didn't live righteously, and therefore God took his wealth from him. According to Zophar, Job's calamities proved his wickedness.

vs 6-7 Although Zophar was wrong in directing this tirade against Job, he was correct in taking about the final end of evil people. At first, sin does seem very attractive. Lying, stealing, or oppressing others often brings temporary gain to those who practice these sins. Some live a long time with ill-gotten gain. But in the end, God's justice will prevail. What Zophar missed is that judgement for these sins may not come in the lifetime or the sinner. Punishment may be deferred until the last judgement, when sinners will be eternally cut off from God. We should not be impressed with the success and power of evil people. God's judgement on them is certain.