In Job 20, Zophar thinks he has Job figured out. Even though Job loudly protests his innocence, Zophar believes that he must be keeping silent about his real guilt. After pointing his suspicions out to Job, Zophar reveals what is surely awaiting him.
Zophar begins by pointing out his urgency to speak - he has sat there listening to what he believes are Job's falsehoods about God (and his friends) that must be rebutted (vs. 1-3).
Zophar reminds Job the way that it has always been: the wicked are certain to suffer (vs. 4-11). From the beginning, the fruit of wickedness is a quick death and an unremembered life.
This verdict is true even if the evildoers refuse to offer up the admission of their guilt. Implicitly implicating Job's protestations of innocence in verses 12-19, Zophar talks about the man who secretly harbors his evil deeds. After vainly trying to get Job to admit his sins, Zophar indicates that Job is like one of those who hides evil "under his tongue" and "keeps it in his mouth." The outcome of this refusal to repent is that the iniquity will turn to sourness, vomit and venom in his life - just as it has in Job's experience.
The end of Zophar's speech (vs. 20-29) depicts the kind of future Job can expect: more suffering and terrors and death. In the end, "the heavens will expose his guilt; the earth will rise up against him" (vs. 27). Zophar is telling Job that keeping silent about his evil is no use - he's toast! (As if he isn't already!)
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