1 Toe het Sofar, die Naämatiet, geantwoord en gesê:
2 Moet die menigte van woorde onbeantwoord bly? Of moet 'n loslippige man reg hê?
3 Sou jou gepraat manne laat swyg, sodat jy spot -- sonder dat iemand jou beskaamd maak --
4 en sê: Suiwer is my leer, en rein is ek in u oë?
5 Maar, ag, as God maar wou spreek en sy lippe open teen jou!
6 En jou bekend wou maak dat die verborgenhede van die wysheid die insig verdubbel! Sodat jy kan weet dat God vir jou 'n deel van jou skuld deur die vingers sien.
7 Kan jy die dieptes van God peil? Of sal jy kan deurdring tot by die volmaaktheid van die Almagtige?
8 Hoogtes van die hemel is dit -- wat kan jy doen? Dieper as die doderyk -- wat kan jy weet?
9 Langer as die aarde is die maat daarvan en breër as die see.
10 As Hy verbyskuiwe en gevange neem en 'n regsvergadering oproep -- wie sal Hom dan teëhou?
11 Want Hy ken die valse mense, en Hy sien die ongeregtigheid sonder dat Hy juis daarop ag gee.
12 So kan dan 'n domme verstand verkry en 'n jong wilde-esel as mens gebore word.
13 As jy jou hart berei en jou hande uitbrei na Hom
14 -- as daar ongeregtigheid in jou hand is, verwyder dit, en laat geen onreg in jou tente woon nie --
15 ja, dan sal jy jou aangesig kan ophef, vry van smet; en jy sal vasstaan sonder om te vrees.
16 Ja, jy sal die moeite vergeet; soos aan water wat verbygeloop het, sal jy daaraan dink.
17 En helderder as die middag sal die lewe oprys; is dit donker -- dit sal wees soos die môre !
18 En jy sal vertrou, want daar is verwagting; en kyk jy rond -- jy sal in veiligheid gaan slaap.
19 Ook sal jy lê sonder dat iemand jou skrikmaak; en baie sal jou guns soek.
20 Maar die oë van die goddelose sal versmag, en die toevlug is vir hulle verlore; en hulle verwagting is -- uitblasing van die laaste asem.
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,
2 Are all these words to go unanswered? and is a man seen to be right because he is full of talk?
3 Are your words of pride to make men keep quiet? and are you to make sport, with no one to put you to shame?
4 You may say, My way is clean, and I am free from sin in your eyes.
5 But if only God would take up the word, opening his lips in argument with you;
6 And would make clear to you the secrets of wisdom, and the wonders of his purpose!
7 Are you able to take God's measure, to make discovery of the limits of the Ruler of all?
8 They are higher than heaven; what is there for you to do? deeper than the underworld, and outside your knowledge;
9 Longer in measure than the earth, and wider than the sea.
10 If he goes on his way, shutting a man up and putting him to death, who may make him go back from his purpose?
11 For in his eyes men are as nothing; he sees evil and takes note of it.
12 And so a hollow-minded man will get wisdom, when a young ass of the field gets teaching.
13 But if you put your heart right, stretching out your hands to him;
14 If you put far away the evil of your hands, and let no wrongdoing have a place in your tent;
15 Then truly your face will be lifted up, with no mark of sin, and you will be fixed in your place without fear:
16 For your sorrow will go from your memory, like waters flowing away:
17 And your life will be brighter than day; though it is dark, it will become like the morning.
18 And you will be safe because there is hope; after looking round, you will take your rest in quiet;
19 Sleeping with no fear of danger; and men will be desiring to have grace in your eyes;
20 But the eyes of the evil-doers will be wasting away; their way of flight is gone, and their only hope is the taking of their last breath.