Job 20: Zophar on the short joy of the wicked

In plain English: Then Zophar the Naamathite answered.

In plain English: "This is why my thoughts answer me (or: make me answer), because of the haste that is in me.

In plain English: I have heard the reproof that shames me, and the spirit of my understanding answers me.

In plain English: Do you not know this from old times, since man was put on the earth,

In plain English: that the shout of joy of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless lasts only a moment?

In plain English: Even if his height goes up to the heavens and his head reaches the clouds,

In plain English: he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'

In plain English: He will fly away like a dream and will not be found. He will be chased away like a vision of the night.

In plain English: The eye that saw him will not see him again, and his place will not see him any more.

In plain English: His children will seek the favor of the poor (or: will settle a debt with the poor), and his own hands will give back his wealth.

The Hebrew word: "Seek the favor of" is ratsah, which the dictionary gives as "to be pleased with; specifically, to satisfy a debt". It is in 55 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "accept" in 15 of them, "accepted" in 8, "pleased" in 4, "please" in 3 and "favor" in 2.

What changes: With "satisfy a debt" the first half of the verse can read that his children will settle a debt with the poor. The text does not rule between the readings.

In plain English: His bones are full of his youth, but it will lie down with him in the dust.

In plain English: Even if evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue,

In plain English: even if he spares it and does not let it go, but keeps it in the middle of his mouth,

In plain English: his food is turned in his insides. It is cobra venom within him.

In plain English: He has swallowed wealth, and he will vomit it up. God will drive it out of his belly.

In plain English: He will suck cobra venom. The tongue of a viper will kill him.

In plain English: He will not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

In plain English: He will give back what he worked for, and will not swallow it down. He will not rejoice according to the wealth he has gotten (the Hebrew says: his trading).

In plain English: For he has crushed the poor and left them. He has seized a house, and he will not build it up.

In plain English: Because he knew no quietness within him (the Hebrew says: in his belly), he will not save anything of what he delights in.

In plain English: Nothing was left that he did not devour, so his prosperity will not last.

In plain English: In the fullness of all he needs, distress will come on him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.

In plain English: When he is about to fill his belly, God (the Hebrew says: he) will send the burning of his anger on him, and will rain it on him while he is eating (or: into his flesh).

The Hebrew word: "While he is eating" is lachum, which the dictionary gives as "properly, eaten, i.e. food; also flesh, i.e. body". It is in 2 verses of the Bible, here and Zephaniah 1:17, where the WEB says "flesh". Here the WEB says "eating".

What changes: With "flesh" the last line reads that it rains on him in his flesh, instead of while he is eating.

In plain English: He will flee from an iron weapon. The bronze arrow (the Hebrew says: bow of bronze) will strike him through.

In plain English: He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. The glittering point comes out of his liver (or: his gall). Terrors are on him.

The Hebrew word: "Liver" here is merorah, which the dictionary gives as "properly, bitterness; concretely, a bitter thing; specifically bile; also venom (of a serpent)". It is in 4 verses of the Bible, one of them verse 14, where the WEB says "venom". Here the WEB says "liver".

What changes: With "bile" the glittering point comes out of his gall instead of his liver. The text does not rule between the readings.

In plain English: All darkness is stored up for his treasures. A fire no one has fanned will devour him. It will consume what is left in his tent (or: it will go badly for the one left in his tent).

In plain English: The heavens will uncover his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.

In plain English: The increase of his house will go away. They will rush away in the day of his anger.

In plain English: This is the share of a wicked man from God, the inheritance set for him by God."

The Hebrew words: "God" is two different Hebrew words in this verse. The first, "from God", is Elohim, and the second, "by God", is El. In Job the WEB says "God" in all 17 verses with Elohim and in 55 of the 56 verses with El.