divine punishment; wrath of God; heaven's justice
Refers to punishment believed to come from a divine or supernatural force, often used in religious, moral, or dramatic contexts.
悪事を働いた者には天罰が下るだろう。
Divine punishment will befall those who do evil.
彼は天罰が当たったんだ。
He got what he deserved from heaven.
suitable punishment; just deserts; comeuppance
Used more loosely for a fitting or ironic punishment, often in everyday speech when someone gets their comeuppance, without necessarily implying literal divine intervention.
あんなに自慢していたのに失敗するなんて、天罰だね。
After all that bragging, his failure is just deserts.
天罰 specifically refers to divine or heavenly punishment, while 報い covers broader karmic consequences, both positive and negative.
swift divine punishment; heaven's vengeance is sure
Compound of 天 (heaven) and 罰 (punishment). The word has been used in Japanese to refer to divine retribution since at least the Heian period.