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◄ Job 20:12►

New International Version
“Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue,

New Living Translation
“They enjoyed the sweet taste of wickedness, letting it melt under their tongue.

English Standard Version
“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue,

Berean Standard Bible
Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,

King James Bible
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth,though he hide it under his tongue;

New King James Version
“Though evil is sweet in his mouth,And he hides it under his tongue,

New American Standard Bible
“Though evil tastes sweet in his mouthAnd he hides it under his tongue,

NASB 1995
“Though evil is sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,

NASB 1977
“Though evil is sweet in his mouth,And he hides it under his tongue,

Legacy Standard Bible
“Though evil is sweet in his mouthAnd he hides it under his tongue,

Amplified Bible
“Though eviland wickedness are sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,

Christian Standard Bible
Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,

American Standard Version
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,

Contemporary English Version
Sinners love the taste of sin; they relish every bite

English Revised Version
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue....

International Standard Version
Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth, though he conceals it under his tongue,

NET Bible
"If evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue,

New Heart English Bible
"Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

Webster's Bible Translation
Though wickedness may be sweet in his mouth, though he may hide it under his tongue;

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,

World English Bible
“Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Though he sweetens evil in his mouth, hides it under his tongue,

Young's Literal Translation
Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,

Smith's Literal Translation
If evil shall be sweet in his mouth he will cover it under his tongue;

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For when evil shall be sweet in his mouth, he will hide it under his tongue.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For, when evil will be sweet in his mouth, he will hide it under his tongue.

New American Bible
Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, and he hides it under his tongue,

New Revised Standard Version
“Though wickedness is sweet in their mouth, though they hide it under their tongues,

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Though his wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide deceit under his tongue,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If his evil will be sweet in his mouth and he will hide deceit under his tongue

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Though evil be sweet in his mouth,though he will hide it under his tongue;

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Zophar: Destruction Awaits the Wicked
…11The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.12Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,13though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth,…

Berean Standard Bible ·Download

Cross References

Proverbs 9:17-18
“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!” / But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Proverbs 20:17
Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.

Psalm 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.

James 1:14-15
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. / Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Proverbs 5:3-4
Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil, / in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.

Romans 6:21
What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.

Psalm 36:3
The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and well-doing.

Proverbs 23:31-32
Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. / In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.

Isaiah 59:3
For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice.

Matthew 15:18-20
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. / For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. / These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.”

Psalm 52:2-4
Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit. / You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah / You love every word that devours, O deceitful tongue.

Proverbs 6:24-28
to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. / Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. / For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. ...

Romans 3:13-14
“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.” / “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

Psalm 140:3
They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah

1 Peter 2:1
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.

Treasury of Scripture

Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;

wickedness

Job 15:16
How much more abominable and filthyis man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the treewas good for food, and that itwas pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to makeone wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Proverbs 9:17,18
Stolen waters are sweet, and breadeaten in secret is pleasant…

he hide

Psalm 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongueis mischief and vanity.

Psalm 109:17,18
As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him…

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Job 20

1.Zophar shows the state and portion of the wicked

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

Though evil is sweet in his mouth
This phrase suggests the initial allure and deceptive pleasure of sin. In biblical context, sin often appears attractive and desirable, as seen inGenesis 3:6, where Eve finds the forbidden fruit pleasing to the eye. The sweetness of evil can be likened to the temporary satisfaction that sin provides, which ultimately leads to destruction (Proverbs 14:12). This reflects the human tendency to be enticed by immediate gratification without considering long-term consequences.

and he conceals it under his tongue
The act of concealing evil under the tongue implies deceit and premeditation. This imagery suggests a deliberate choice to harbor sin secretly, akin to hiding something precious or forbidden. In historical and cultural contexts, the tongue is often associated with speech and the power of words (James 3:5-6). This concealment indicates a hidden sinfulness that is not immediately visible to others, echoing the biblical theme of hypocrisy and the danger of hidden sins (Psalm 19:12). The concealment also points to the internal struggle and the deceitfulness of the heart (Jeremiah 17:9), emphasizing the need for repentance and transformation.

Persons / Places / Events

1.Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. The central figure in the Book of Job, he undergoes severe trials and suffering.

2.Zophar the Naamathite
One of Job's three friends who visit him to offer counsel. Zophar is the speaker inJob 20, and he represents a traditional view of retributive justice, believing that suffering is a direct result of sin.

3.The Land of Uz
The setting of the Book of Job, traditionally considered to be in the region of Edom or northern Arabia.

4.Satan
The adversary who challenges Job's integrity, suggesting that Job is faithful only because of his prosperity.

5.God
The sovereign Creator who allows Job's testing and ultimately restores him, demonstrating His wisdom and justice.

Teaching Points

The Deceptive Nature of Sin
Sin often appears attractive and sweet initially, but its consequences are bitter and destructive. Believers must be vigilant and discerning to avoid being enticed by temporary pleasures that lead to spiritual harm.

The Danger of Concealing Sin
Hiding sin "under the tongue" suggests a deliberate choice to harbor and nurture wrongdoing. Christians are called to confess and forsake sin rather than conceal it, as hidden sin can lead to greater bondage and separation from God.

The Importance of Accountability
Zophar's speech, though misguided in its application to Job, highlights the need for accountability among believers. We should encourage one another to live righteously and address sin in love and truth.

The Role of Suffering in Spiritual Growth
While Zophar incorrectly attributes Job's suffering to hidden sin, the broader account of Job teaches that suffering can be a tool for refining faith and deepening reliance on God.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from Job 20

Why does Job 28 offer poetic descriptions of wisdom's source without reconciling them with scientific or pagan wisdom traditions of the time?

How do we reconcile biblical accounts of dragons with modern zoology?

If Job 20:19-20 suggests a direct correlation between greed and swift downfall, why do some wealthy exploiters seem to thrive indefinitely without facing apparent divine retribution?

Job 11:20 asserts the wicked lose hope, yet history and modern times show many unethical people prosper. How is this reconciled?

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12)Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth.--He draws a picture of the wicked man after the pattern of a gourmand or glutton, which, if it were intended to apply to Job, was a fresh instance of heartless cruelty, as well as of an entire want of discernment of character, and of unfitness for the office of judge he was so ready to assume. It is possible that the reproach here aimed at Job was that of inordinate love of riches, which Zophar extracts from the bare fact of his having been a wealthy man.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 12, 13. -Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth;i.e. though the wicked man delight in his wickedness, and gloat over it, and keep the thought of it in his mind, as a gourmand keeps, so long as he can, a delicious taste in his mouth; though he, as it were, hide it under his tongue, in order not to let it escape him;though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth, yet, notwithstanding all this, disgust and nausea arrive in course of time (see the next two verses). It is, perhaps, the most surprising among the phenomena of wickedness that men can gloat over it, voluntarily recur to it, make a boast of it, recount signal instances of it to their friends, and seem to find a satisfaction in the recollection. One would have expected that shame and self-disapproval and fear of retribution would have led them to dismiss their wicked acts from their thoughts as soon as possible. But certainly the fact is otherwise.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Though
אִם־(’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518:Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

evil
רָעָ֑ה(rā·‘āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451:Bad, evil

is sweet
תַּמְתִּ֣יק(tam·tîq)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4985:To become or be sweet or pleasant

in his mouth
בְּפִ֣יו(bə·p̄îw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6310:The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

and he conceals
יַ֝כְחִידֶ֗נָּה(yaḵ·ḥî·ḏen·nāh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3582:To secrete, by act, word, to destroy

it under
תַּ֣חַת(ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478:The bottom, below, in lieu of

his tongue,
לְשׁוֹנֽוֹ׃(lə·šō·w·nōw)
Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3956:The tongue

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OT Poetry: Job 20:12 Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth (Jb)