Chapter 20
Zophar: Destruction Awaits the Wicked
1
Then Zophar the Naamathite… replied:
𐤑𐤐𐤓 𐤄𐤍𐤏𐤌𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍
צֹפַ֥ר הַנַּֽעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ וַ֭יַּעַן ṣō·p̄ar han·na·‘ă·mā·ṯî way·yō·mar way·ya·‘an — WLC · 1
2
“So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me.
𐤋𐤊𐤍 𐤔𐤏𐤐𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤁𐤏𐤁𐤅𐤓 𐤇𐤅𐤔𐤉 𐤁𐤉
לָ֭כֵן שְׂעִפַּ֣י יְשִׁיב֑וּנִי וּ֝בַעֲב֗וּר ח֣וּשִׁי בִֽי׃ lā·ḵên śə·‘ip·pay yə·šî·ḇū·nî ū·ḇa·‘ă·ḇūr ḥū·šî ḇî — WLC · 2
3
I have heard… a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.
𐤀𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤌𐤅𐤎𐤓 𐤊𐤋𐤌𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤕𐤉 𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤍𐤉
אֶשְׁמָ֑ע וְ֝ר֗וּחַ מוּסַ֣ר כְּלִמָּתִ֣י מִֽבִּינָתִ֥י יַעֲנֵֽנִי׃ ’eš·mā‘ wə·rū·aḥ mū·sar kə·lim·mā·ṯî mib·bî·nā·ṯî ya·‘ă·nê·nî — WLC · 3
4
Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth,
𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤄𐤆𐤀𐤕 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤃 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤀𐤓𐤑
יָ֭דַעְתָּ הֲזֹ֣את מִנִּי־ עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י אָדָ֣ם שִׂ֖ים עֲלֵי־ אָֽרֶץ׃ yā·ḏa‘·tā hă·zōṯ min·nî- ‘aḏ min·nî ’ā·ḏām śîm ‘ă·lê- ’ā·reṣ — WLC · 4
5
- the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless vvv momentary?
𐤊𐤉 𐤓𐤍𐤍𐤕 𐤓𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤒𐤓𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤔𐤌𐤇𐤕 𐤇𐤍𐤐 𐤏𐤃𐤉 𐤓𐤂𐤏
כִּ֤י רִנְנַ֣ת רְ֭שָׁעִים מִקָּר֑וֹב וְשִׂמְחַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף עֲדֵי־ רָֽגַע׃ kî rin·naṯ rə·šā·‘îm miq·qā·rō·wḇ wə·śim·ḥaṯ ḥā·nêp̄ ‘ă·ḏê- rā·ḡa‘ — WLC · 5
6
Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds,
𐤀𐤌 𐤔𐤉𐤀𐤅 𐤉𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤋𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤏 𐤋𐤏𐤁
אִם־ שִׂיא֑וֹ יַעֲלֶ֣ה לַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְ֝רֹאשׁ֗וֹ יַגִּֽיעַ׃ לָעָ֥ב ’im- śî·’ōw ya·‘ă·leh laš·šā·ma·yim wə·rō·šōw yag·gî·a‘ lā·‘āḇ — WLC · 6
7
he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’
𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤃 𐤋𐤍𐤑𐤇 𐤊𐤂𐤋𐤋𐤅 𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤅 𐤀𐤉𐤅
יֹאבֵ֑ד לָנֶ֣צַח כְּֽ֭גֶלֲלוֹ רֹ֝אָ֗יו יֹאמְר֥וּ אַיּֽוֹ׃ yō·ḇêḏ lā·ne·ṣaḥ kə·ḡe·lă·lōw rō·’āw yō·mə·rū ’ay·yōw — WLC · 7
8
He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.
𐤉𐤏𐤅𐤐 𐤊𐤇𐤋𐤅𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤅𐤄𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤃𐤃 𐤊𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤅𐤍 𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄
יָ֭עוּף כַּחֲל֣וֹם וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָא֑וּהוּ וְ֝יֻדַּ֗ד כְּחֶזְי֥וֹן לָֽיְלָה׃ yā·‘ūp̄ ka·ḥă·lō·wm wə·lō yim·ṣā·’ū·hū wə·yud·daḏ kə·ḥez·yō·wn lā·yə·lāh — WLC · 8
9
The eye [that] saw him will see him no more, and his place will no longer behold him.
𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤔𐤆𐤐𐤕𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤅𐤎𐤉𐤐 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤓𐤍𐤅
עַ֣יִן שְׁ֭זָפַתּוּ וְלֹ֣א תוֹסִ֑יף מְקוֹמֽוֹ׃ וְלֹא־ ע֝֗וֹד תְּשׁוּרֶ֥נּוּ ‘a·yin šə·zā·p̲at·tû wə·lō ṯō·w·sîp̄ mə·qō·w·mōw wə·lō- ‘ō·wḏ tə·šū·ren·nū — WLC · 9
10
His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤓𐤑𐤅 𐤃𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤅 𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤅𐤍𐤅
בָּ֭נָיו יְרַצּ֣וּ דַלִּ֑ים וְ֝יָדָ֗יו תָּשֵׁ֥בְנָה אוֹנֽוֹ׃ bā·nāw yə·raṣ·ṣū ḏal·lîm wə·yā·ḏāw tā·šê·ḇə·nāh ’ō·w·nōw — WLC · 10
11
The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.
𐤏𐤋𐤅𐤌𐤅 𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤅 𐤏𐤑𐤌𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤕𐤔𐤊𐤁 𐤅𐤏𐤌𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤏𐤐𐤓
עֲלוּמוֹ מָלְא֣וּ עַ֭צְמוֹתָיו תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃ וְ֝עִמּ֗וֹ עַל־ עָפָ֥ר ʿă·lū·mō mā·lə·’ū ‘aṣ·mō·w·ṯāw tiš·kāḇ wə·‘im·mōw ‘al- ‘ā·p̄ār — WLC · 11
12
Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,
𐤀𐤌 𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤕𐤌𐤕𐤉𐤒 𐤁𐤐𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤊𐤇𐤉𐤃𐤍𐤄 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍𐤅
אִם־ רָעָ֑ה תַּמְתִּ֣יק בְּפִ֣יו יַ֝כְחִידֶ֗נָּה תַּ֣חַת לְשׁוֹנֽוֹ׃ ’im- rā·‘āh tam·tîq bə·p̄îw yaḵ·ḥî·ḏen·nāh ta·ḥaṯ lə·šō·w·nōw — WLC · 12
13
though he cannot bear… to let it go and keeps it in his mouth,
𐤉𐤇𐤌𐤋 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤌𐤍𐤏𐤍𐤄 𐤁𐤕𐤅𐤊 𐤇𐤊𐤅
יַחְמֹ֣ל עָ֭לֶיהָ וְלֹ֣א יַֽעַזְבֶ֑נָּה וְ֝יִמְנָעֶ֗נָּה בְּת֣וֹךְ חִכּֽוֹ׃ yaḥ·mōl ‘ā·le·hā wə·lō ya·‘az·ḇen·nāh wə·yim·nā·‘en·nāh bə·ṯō·wḵ ḥik·kōw — WLC · 13
14
yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.
𐤁𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤅 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤅 𐤍𐤄𐤐𐤊 𐤌𐤓𐤅𐤓𐤕 𐤐𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤒𐤓𐤁𐤅
בְּמֵעָ֣יו לַ֭חְמוֹ נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ מְרוֹרַ֖ת פְּתָנִ֣ים בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃ bə·mê·‘āw laḥ·mōw neh·pāḵ mə·rō·w·raṯ pə·ṯā·nîm bə·qir·bōw — WLC · 14
15
He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
𐤁𐤋𐤏 𐤇𐤉𐤋 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤀𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤅𐤓𐤔𐤍𐤅 𐤌𐤁𐤈𐤍𐤅
בָּ֭לַע חַ֣יִל וַיְקִאֶ֑נּוּ אֵֽל׃ יוֹרִשֶׁ֥נּוּ מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ bā·la‘ ḥa·yil way·qi·’en·nū ’êl yō·w·ri·šen·nū mib·biṭ·nōw — WLC · 15
16
He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.
𐤉𐤉𐤍𐤒 𐤓𐤀𐤔 𐤐𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤀𐤐𐤏𐤄 𐤕𐤄𐤓𐤂𐤄𐤅
יִינָ֑ק רֹאשׁ־ פְּתָנִ֥ים לְשׁ֣וֹן אֶפְעֶֽה׃ תַּֽ֝הַרְגֵ֗הוּ yî·nāq rōš- pə·ṯā·nîm lə·šō·wn ’ep̄·‘eh ta·har·ḡê·hū — WLC · 16
17
He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤓𐤀 𐤁𐤐𐤋𐤂𐤅𐤕 𐤍𐤄𐤓𐤉 𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤉 𐤃𐤁𐤔 𐤅𐤇𐤌𐤀𐤄
אַל־ יֵ֥רֶא בִפְלַגּ֑וֹת נַהֲרֵ֥י נַ֝חֲלֵ֗י דְּבַ֣שׁ וְחֶמְאָֽה׃ ’al- yê·re ḇip̄·lag·gō·wṯ na·hă·rê na·ḥă·lê də·ḇaš wə·ḥem·’āh — WLC · 17
18
He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
𐤌𐤔𐤉𐤁 𐤉𐤂𐤏 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤁𐤋𐤏 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤏𐤋𐤎 𐤊𐤇𐤉𐤋 𐤕𐤌𐤅𐤓𐤕𐤅
מֵשִׁ֣יב יָ֭גָע וְלֹ֣א יִבְלָ֑ע וְלֹ֣א יַעֲלֹֽס׃ כְּחֵ֥יל תְּ֝מוּרָת֗וֹ mê·šîḇ yā·ḡā‘ wə·lō yiḇ·lā‘ wə·lō ya·‘ă·lōs kə·ḥêl tə·mū·rā·ṯōw — WLC · 18
19
For he has oppressed [and] forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.
𐤊𐤉 𐤓𐤑𐤑 𐤏𐤆𐤁 𐤃𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤂𐤆𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤁𐤍𐤄𐤅
כִּֽי־ רִ֭צַּץ עָזַ֣ב דַּלִּ֑ים גָּ֝זַ֗ל בַּ֥יִת וְלֹ֣א יִבֶנֵֽהוּ׃ kî- riṣ·ṣaṣ ‘ā·zaḇ dal·lîm gā·zal ba·yiṯ wə·lō yi·ḇe·nê·hū — WLC · 19
20
Because his appetite is never satisfied…, he cannot escape with his treasure.
𐤊𐤉 𐤁𐤁𐤈𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤔𐤋𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤌𐤋𐤈 𐤁𐤇𐤌𐤅𐤃𐤅
כִּ֤י׀ בְּבִטְנ֑וֹ לֹא־ יָדַ֣ע שָׁלֵ֣ו לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט׃ בַּ֝חֲמוּד֗וֹ kî bə·ḇiṭ·nōw lō- yā·ḏa‘ šā·lêw lō yə·mal·lêṭ ba·ḥă·mū·ḏōw — WLC · 20
21
Nothing is left for him to consume; thus… his prosperity will not endure.
𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤋
אֵין־ שָׂרִ֥יד לְאָכְל֑וֹ עַל־ כֵּ֝֗ן טוּבֽוֹ׃ לֹא־ יָחִ֥יל ’ên- śā·rîḏ lə·’ā·ḵə·lōw ‘al- kên ṭū·ḇōw lō- yā·ḥîl — WLC · 21
22
In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed the full force of misery will come upon him.
𐤁𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤔𐤐𐤒𐤅 𐤉𐤑𐤓 𐤋𐤅 𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤃 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤅
בִּמְלֹ֣אות שִׂ֭פְקוֹ יֵ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ כָּל־ יַ֖ד עָמֵ֣ל תְּבוֹאֶֽנּוּ׃ bim·lō·wṯ śip̲·qô yê·ṣer lōw kāl- yaḏ ‘ā·mêl tə·ḇō·w·’en·nū — WLC · 22
23
When he has filled his stomach, God will vent His fury… upon him, raining it down on him as he eats.
𐤉𐤄𐤉 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤀 𐤁𐤈𐤍𐤅 𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤇 𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤍 𐤀𐤐𐤅 𐤁𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤌𐤈𐤓 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤌𐤅 𐤁𐤋𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤅
יְהִ֤י׀ לְמַלֵּ֬א בִטְנ֗וֹ יְֽשַׁלַּח־ חֲר֣וֹן אַפּ֑וֹ בּ֭וֹ וְיַמְטֵ֥ר עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ בִּלְחוּמֽוֹ׃ yə·hî lə·mal·lê ḇiṭ·nōw yə·šal·laḥ- ḥă·rō·wn ’ap·pōw bōw wə·yam·ṭêr ‘ā·lê·mōw bil·ḥū·mōw — WLC · 23
24
Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him.
𐤉𐤁𐤓𐤇 𐤁𐤓𐤆𐤋 𐤌𐤍𐤔𐤒 𐤍𐤇𐤅𐤔𐤄 𐤒𐤔𐤕 𐤕𐤇𐤋𐤐𐤄𐤅
יִ֭בְרַח בַּרְזֶ֑ל מִנֵּ֣שֶׁק נְחוּשָֽׁה׃ קֶ֣שֶׁת תַּ֝חְלְפֵ֗הוּ yiḇ·raḥ bar·zel min·nê·šeq nə·ḥū·šāh qe·šeṯ taḥ·lə·p̄ê·hū — WLC · 24
25
It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.
𐤔𐤋𐤐 𐤅𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤂𐤅𐤄 𐤅𐤁𐤓𐤒 𐤌𐤌𐤓𐤓𐤕𐤅 𐤀𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤄𐤋𐤊 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅
שָׁלַף֮ וַיֵּצֵ֪א מִגֵּ֫וָ֥ה וּ֭בָרָק מִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹ אֵמִֽים׃ יַהֲלֹ֗ךְ עָלָ֥יו šā·lap̄ way·yê·ṣê mig·gê·wāh ū·ḇā·rāq mim·mə·rō·rā·ṯōw ’ê·mîm ya·hă·lōḵ ‘ā·lāw — WLC · 25
26
Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. A fire unfanned… will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.
𐤊𐤋 𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤈𐤌𐤅𐤍 𐤋𐤑𐤐𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤀𐤔 𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤐𐤇 𐤉𐤓𐤏 𐤕𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤄𐤅 𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤃 𐤁𐤀𐤄𐤋𐤅
כָּל־ חֹשֶׁךְ֮ טָמ֪וּן לִצְפּ֫וּנָ֥יו אֵ֣שׁ לֹֽא־ נֻפָּ֑ח יֵ֖רַע תְּ֭אָכְלֵהוּ שָׂרִ֣יד בְּאָהֳלֽוֹ׃ kāl- ḥō·šeḵ ṭā·mūn liṣ·pū·nāw ’êš lō- nup·pāḥ yê·ra‘ tə·’ā·ḵə·lê·hū śā·rîḏ bə·’ā·ho·lōw — WLC · 26
27
The heavens will expose his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.
𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤂𐤋𐤅 𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤌𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤌𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤅
שָׁמַ֣יִם יְגַלּ֣וּ עֲוֺנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֶ֗רֶץ מִתְקוֹמָ֘מָ֥ה לֽוֹ׃ šā·ma·yim yə·ḡal·lū ‘ă·wō·nōw wə·’e·reṣ miṯ·qō·w·mā·māh lōw — WLC · 27
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The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.
𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤅 𐤉𐤂𐤋 𐤍𐤂𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤀𐤐𐤅
יְב֣וּל בֵּית֑וֹ יִ֭גֶל נִ֝גָּר֗וֹת בְּי֣וֹם אַפּֽוֹ׃ yə·ḇūl bê·ṯōw yi·ḡel nig·gā·rō·wṯ bə·yō·wm ’ap·pōw — WLC · 28
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This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the inheritance God has appointed him.”
𐤆𐤄 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤇𐤋𐤒 𐤌𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤕 𐤌𐤀𐤋𐤐 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤅
זֶ֤ה׀ רָ֭שָׁע אָדָ֣ם חֵֽלֶק־ מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְנַחֲלַ֖ת מֵאֵֽל׃פ אִמְר֣וֹ zeh rā·šā‘ ’ā·ḏām ḥê·leq- mê·’ĕ·lō·hîm wə·na·ḥă·laṯ mê·’êl ’im·rōw — WLC · 29