1 And then Zophar the Naamathite answered, and said,

2 Therefore my thoughts diverse come one after another; and the mind is ravished into diverse things.

3 I shall hear the teaching, by which thou reprovest me; and the spirit of mine understanding shall answer me.

4 I know this from the beginning, since man was set on [the] earth,

5 that the praising of wicked men is short, and the joy of an hypocrite is at the likeness of a point soon passing.

6 Though his pride go up into heaven, and his head toucheth the clouds,

7 he shall be lost in the end, as a dunghill; and, they that have seen him, shall say, Where is he?

8 As a dream flying away, or soon forgotten, he shall not be found; he shall pass as the sight of nights.

9 The eye that saw him shall not see him again; and his place shall no more behold him.

10 His sons shall be all-broken with neediness; and his hands shall yield to him his sorrow.

11 His bones shall be [full-]filled with the vices of his young waxing age; and they shall sleep with him in dust.

12 For when evil was sweet in his mouth, he hid it under his tongue.

13 He shall spare it, and shall not forsake it; and he shall hide it in his throat.

14 His bread in his womb shall be turned into the gall of snakes within him.

15 He shall vomit, or cast, out the riches which he hath devoured; and God shall draw those riches out of his womb.

16 He shall suck the gall of snakes; and the tongue of an adder shall slay him.

17 See he not the streams of the flood, of the strand [or stream] of honey, and of butter.

18 He shall suffer pains for all things which he hath done, nevertheless he shall not be wasted by those pains, but ever endure; and after the multitude of his findings, so shall he suffer.

19 For he brake, and made naked the house of the poor man; he ravished it, and builded it not.

20 And his womb was not yet[ful]-filled; and when he hath that, that he coveted, he may not hold it in possession.

21 There be left nothing of his meat; and therefore nothing shall dwell of his goods.

22 When he is full-filled with riches, yet he shall be made strait in covet-ousness; he shall burn in it, and all sorrow shall fall in upon him.

23 I would, that his womb be filled, that he send out into him the wrath of his strong vengeance, and rain his battle upon him.

24 He shall flee iron armours [or arms], and he shall fall into a brazen bow.

25 Which is led, or taken out of his sheath, or case, and this bow going out, and shining as lightning, shall smite him in bitterness; horrible fears shall go, and come upon him.

26 All darknesses be hid in his privates [or private things]; fire, which is not tended, shall devour him; he shall be tormented and left in his tabernacle.

27 Heavens shall show his wicked-ness; and earth shall rise up alto-gether against him.

28 The seed, or generation, of his house shall be open; it shall be drawn down in the day of the strong venge-ance of the Lord.

29 This is the part of a wicked man, which is given to him of God, and the heritage of his words is also of the Lord.