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[1]And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --
[2]Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.
[3]The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:
[4]This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?
[5]That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,
[6]Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike --
[7]As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: `Where [is] he?'
[8]As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,
[9]The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.
[10]His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.
[11]His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.
[12]Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,
[13]Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,
[14]His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart.
[15]Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.
[16]Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.
[17]He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.
[18]He is giving back [what] he laboured for, And doth not consume [it]; As a bulwark [is] his exchange, and he exults not.
[19]For he oppressed -- he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.
[20]For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.
[21]There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.
[22]In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.
[23]It cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his eating.
[24]He fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.
[25]One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him [are] terrors.
[26]All darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.
[27]Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.
[28]Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.
[29]This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.
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