Zophar Says, “The Triumph of the Wicked Is Short”

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2“Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond,

Even because of my inward agitation.

3I listened to the reproof which insults me,

And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

4Do you know this from of old,

From the establishment of man on earth,

5That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the godless momentary?

6Though his loftiness reaches the heavens,

And his head touches the clouds,

7He perishes forever like his refuse;

Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him;

Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.

9The eye which saw him sees him no longer,

And his place no longer beholds him.

10His sons favor the poor,

And his hands give back his wealth.

11His bones are full of his youthful vigor,

But it lies down with him in the dust.

12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth

And he hides it under his tongue,

13Though he desires it and will not let it go,

But holds it in his mouth,

14Yet his food in his stomach is changed

To the venom of cobras within him.

15He swallows riches,

But will vomit them up;

God will expel them from his belly.

16He sucks the poison of cobras;

The viper’s tongue slays him.

17He does not look at the streams,

The rivers flowing with honey and curds.

18He returns what he has attained

And cannot swallow it;

As to the riches of his trading,

He cannot even enjoy them.

19For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor;

He has seized a house which he has not built.

20“Because he knew no quiet within him,

He does not retain anything he desires.

21Nothing remains for him to devour,

Therefore his prosperity does not endure.

22In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped;

The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

23When he fills his belly,

God will send His fierce anger on him

And will rain it on him while he is eating.

24He may flee from the iron weapon,

But the bronze bow will pierce him.

25It is drawn forth and comes out of his back,

Even the glittering point from his gall.

Terrors come upon him,

26Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,

And unfanned fire will devour him;

It will consume the survivor in his tent.

27The heavens will reveal his iniquity,

And the earth will rise up against him.

28The increase of his house will depart;

His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.

29This is the wicked man’s portion from God,

Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”

Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked

1Then Job answered,

2“Listen carefully to my speech,

And let this be your way of consolation.

3Bear with me that I may speak;

Then after I have spoken, you may mock.

4As for me, is my complaint to man?

And why should I not be impatient?

5Look at me, and be astonished,

And put your hand over your mouth.

6Even when I remember, I am disturbed,

And horror takes hold of my flesh.

7Why do the wicked still live,

Continue on, also become very powerful?

8Their descendants are established with them in their sight,

And their offspring before their eyes,

9Their houses are safe from fear,

And the rod of God is not on them.

10His ox mates without fail;

His cow calves and does not abort.

11They send forth their little ones like the flock,

And their children skip about.

12They sing to the timbrel and harp

And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

13They spend their days in prosperity,

And suddenly they go down to Sheol.

14They say to God, ‘Depart from us!

We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him,

And what would we gain if we entreat Him?’

16Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;

The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out,

Or does their calamity fall on them?

Does God apportion destruction in His anger?

18Are they as straw before the wind,

And like chaff which the storm carries away?

19You say, ‘God stores away a man’s iniquity for his sons.’

Let God repay him so that he may know it.

20Let his own eyes see his decay,

And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21For what does he care for his household after him,

When the number of his months is cut off?

22Can anyone teach God knowledge,

In that He judges those on high?

23One dies in his full strength,

Being wholly at ease and satisfied;

24His sides are filled out with fat,

And the marrow of his bones is moist,

25While another dies with a bitter soul,

Never even tasting anything good.

26Together they lie down in the dust,

And worms cover them.

27“Behold, I know your thoughts,

And the plans by which you would wrong me.

28For you say, ‘Where is the house of the nobleman,

And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’

29Have you not asked wayfaring men,

And do you not recognize their witness?

30For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity;

They will be led forth at the day of fury.

31Who will confront him with his actions,

And who will repay him for what he has done?

32While he is carried to the grave,

Men will keep watch over his tomb.

33The clods of the valley will gently cover him;

Moreover, all men will follow after him,

While countless ones go before him.

34How then will you vainly comfort me,

For your answers remain full of falsehood?”

Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

2“Can a vigorous man be of use to God,

Or a wise man be useful to himself?

3Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous,

Or profit if you make your ways perfect?

4Is it because of your reverence that He reproves you,

That He enters into judgment against you?

5Is not your wickedness great,

And your iniquities without end?

6For you have taken pledges of your brothers without cause,

And stripped men naked.

7To the weary you have given no water to drink,

And from the hungry you have withheld bread.

8But the earth belongs to the mighty man,

And the honorable man dwells in it.

9You have sent widows away empty,

And the strength of the orphans has been crushed.

10Therefore snares surround you,

And sudden dread terrifies you,

11Or darkness, so that you cannot see,

And an abundance of water covers you.

12“Is not God in the height of heaven?

Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!

13You say, ‘What does God know?

Can He judge through the thick darkness?

14Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;

And He walks on the vault of heaven.’

15Will you keep to the ancient path

Which wicked men have trod,

16Who were snatched away before their time,

Whose foundations were washed away by a river?

17They said to God, ‘Depart from us!’

And ‘What can the Almighty do to them?’

18Yet He filled their houses with good things;

But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19The righteous see and are glad,

And the innocent mock them,

20Saying, ‘Truly our adversaries are cut off,

And their abundance the fire has consumed.’

21“Yield now and be at peace with Him;

Thereby good will come to you.

22Please receive instruction from His mouth

And establish His words in your heart.

23If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored;

If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,

24And place your gold in the dust,

And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,

25Then the Almighty will be your gold

And choice silver to you.

26For then you will delight in the Almighty

And lift up your face to God.

27You will pray to Him, and He will hear you;

And you will pay your vows.

28You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;

And light will shine on your ways.

29When you are cast down, you will speak with confidence,

And the humble person He will save.

30He will deliver one who is not innocent,

And he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

Introduction

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:

2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

8For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 11you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

11You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;

Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

12For evils beyond number have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;

They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,

And my heart has failed me.

13Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;

Make haste, O Lord, to help me.

14Let those be ashamed and humiliated together

Who seek my life to destroy it;

Let those be turned back and dishonored

Who delight in my hurt.

15Let those be appalled because of their shame

Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

16Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;

Let those who love Your salvation say continually,

“The Lord be magnified!”

17Since I am afflicted and needy,

Let the Lord be mindful of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

Do not delay, O my God.

2The rich and the poor have a common bond,

The Lord is the maker of them all.

3The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,

But the naive go on, and are punished for it.

4The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord

Are riches, honor and life.