Job 20:4
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Know you not this of old, since man was placed on earth,
American King James Version (AKJV)
Know you not this of old, since man was placed on earth,
American Standard Version (ASV)
Knowest thou not this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,
Webster's Revision
Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
World English Bible
Don't you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,
English Revised Version (ERV)
Knowest thou not this of old time, since man was placed upon earth,
Clarke's Job 20:4 Bible Commentary
Knowest thou not this of old - This is a maxim as ancient as the world; it began with the first man: A wicked man shall triumph but a short time; God will destroy the proud doer.
Since man was placed upon earth - Literally, since Adam was placed on the earth; that is, since the fall, wickedness and hypocrisy have existed; but they have never triumphed long. Thou hast lately been expressing confidence in reference to a general judgment; but such is thy character, that thou hast little reason to anticipate with any joy the decisions of that day.
Barnes's Job 20:4 Bible Commentary
Knowest thou not this of old - That is, dost thou not know that this has always happened from the beginning of the world, or that this is the invariable course of events. His purpose is to show that it was the settled arrangement of Providence that the wicked would be overtaken with signal calamity. It was "so" settled that Job ought not to be surprised that it had occurred in "his" case. Zophar goes on to show that though a wicked man might rise high in honor, and obtain great wealth, yet that the fall would certainly come, and he would sink to a depth of degradation corresponding to the former prosperity.
Since man was placed upon earth - Since the creation; that is, it has always been so.
Wesley's Job 20:4 Bible Commentary
20:4 This - Which I am now about to say. Since - Since the world was made.