1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me,

Even by reason of my haste that is in me.

3 I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame;

And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.

4 Knowest thou not this of old time,

Since man was placed upon earth,

5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the godless but for a moment?

6 Though his height mount up to the heavens,

And his head reach unto the clouds;

7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung:

They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found:

Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more;

Neither shall his place any more behold him.

10 His children shall seek the favor of the poor,

And his hands shall give back his wealth.

11 His bones are full of his youth,

But it shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth,

Though he hide it under his tongue,

13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go,

But keep it still within his mouth;

14 Yet his food in his bowels is turned,

It is the gall of asps within him.

15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again;

God will cast them out of his belly.

16 He shall suck the poison of asps:

The viper’s tongue shall slay him.

17 He shall not look upon the rivers,

The flowing streams of honey and butter.

18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down;

According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.

19 For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor;

He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

20 Because he knew no quietness within him,

He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.

21 There was nothing left that he devoured not;

Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits:

The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.

23 When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him,

And will rain it upon him while he is eating.

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon,

And the bow of brass shall strike him through.

25 He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body;

Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall:

Terrors are upon him.

26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures:

A fire not blown by man shall devour him;

It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity,

And the earth shall rise up against him.

28 The increase of his house shall depart;

His goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God,

And the heritage appointed unto him by God.

1 Naamatietis Cofaras atsakydamas tarė:

2 "Mano mintys verčia mane atsiliepti, ir dėl to aš skubu kalbėti.

3 Aš girdėjau priekaištus man ir mano supratimo dvasia verčia mane atsakyti.

4 Ar nežinai, kad nuo seno, kai žmogus buvo įkurdintas žemėje,

5 nedorėlių džiaugsmas trumpas ir veidmainių džiaugsmas tik akimirka?

6 Nors jo puikybė pasiektų dangus ir jo galva liestų debesis,

7 jis pražus kaip jo paties išmatos. Kas jį matė, klaus: ‘Kur jis?’

8 Kaip sapnas jis dings, pranyks kaip nakties regėjimas.

9 Akis, kuri jį matė, nebematys jo daugiau ir jo vieta jo neberegės.

10 Jo vaikai ieškos beturčių palankumo, jo rankos sugrąžins jo turtus.

11 Jo kaulai pilni jaunystės nuodėmių, kurios gulės dulkėse kartu su juo.

12 Nors nedorybė saldi jo burnoje, nors jis slepia ją po savo liežuviu,

13 saugo ją ir nepaleidžia, paslėpęs savo burnoje,

14 tačiau maistas jo viduriuose virs gyvačių tulžimi.

15 Prarytus turtus jis išvems; Dievas iš jo pilvo ištrauks juos.

16 Gyvačių nuodus jis čiulps, jį nužudys angies liežuvis.

17 Jis nematys upių ir upelių, tekančių medumi ir pienu.

18 Ką jis uždirbo, turės atiduoti ir neprarys to. Jis atlygins savo turtais ir nepasidžiaugs jais.

19 Nes jis nuskriaudė ir apleido vargšą, pasisavino namus, kurių nestatė.

20 Jo godumui nebuvo ribų, bet jis nieko neišgelbės.

21 Neliks jo valgio ir niekas nežiūrės į jo gėrybes.

22 Kai jis bus apsirūpinęs, jam bus ankšta, nelaimės rankos apims jį.

23 Kai jis norės prikimšti savo pilvą, Dievas pasiųs savo rūstybę ant jo, išlies ją, jam bevalgant.

24 Jis bėgs nuo geležinio ginklo, bet jį pervers varinis lankas.

25 Strėlė bus ištraukta iš jo kūno, žibantis antgalis bus išliejęs jo tulžį; siaubai apniks jį.

26 Tamsa paslėpta jo viduje; prarys jį ugnis, kurios niekas neužkūrė. Bus varginami tie, kas liks jo palapinėje.

27 Dangus atskleis jo kaltę ir žemė sukils prieš jį.

28 Visas jo turtas bus sunaikintas ir nuneštas Jo rūstybės dieną.

29 Tokia dalis yra nuo Dievo nedorėliui ir toks palikimas yra Dievo jam skirtas".