1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,2 Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.3 I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and {my} spirit answereth me by mine understanding.4 Knowest thou {not} this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,5 The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds,7 Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?8 He flieth away as a dream, and is not found; and is chased away as a vision of the night.9 The eye which saw him shall {see him} not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.10 His children shall seek the favour of the poor, and his hands restore his wealth.11 His bones were full of his youthful strength; but it shall lie down with him in the dust.12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth {and} he hide it under his tongue,13 {Though} he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it within his mouth,14 His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.15 He hath swallowed down riches, but he shall vomit them up again: *God shall cast them out of his belly.16 He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall kill him.17 He shall not see streams, rivers, brooks of honey and butter.18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and not swallow down; its restitution shall be according to the value, and he shall not rejoice {therein}.19 For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.20 Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.21 Nothing escaped his greediness; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.23 It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will cast his fierce anger upon him, and will rain it upon him into his flesh.24 If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.25 He draweth it forth; it cometh out of his body, and the glittering point out of his gall: terrors are upon him.26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures: a fire not blown shall devour him; it shall feed upon what 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, flowing away in the day of his anger.29 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by *God.

1 Toe het Sofar, die Naämatiet, geantwoord en gesê:2 Daarom juis antwoord my gedagtes my, en wel weens my haastigheid in my.3 'n Bestraffing wat vir my griewend is, moet ek aanhoor; maar die gees uit my verstand antwoord my.4 Weet jy wel dit wat van altyd af was, vandat die mens op die aarde gemaak is:5 dat die gejubel van die goddelose kort van duur is en die vreugde van die roekelose net vir 'n oomblik?6 Al klim sy hoogheid na die hemel toe op, en al raak sy hoof aan die wolke --7 soos sy eie drek vergaan hy vir ewig; die wat hom gesien het, vra: Waar is hy?8 Soos 'n droom vlieg hy weg, sodat 'n mens hom nie meer vind nie; en hy word verjaag soos 'n naggesig.9 Die oog wat hom gesien het, sien hom nie meer nie; en sy plek aanskou hom nie meer nie.10 Sy kinders moet die guns soek van armes, en met eie hande moet hy sy vermoë teruggee.11 Sy gebeente was vol van sy jeugdige krag; maar met hom saam lê dit in die stof.12 Al smaak die kwaad soet in sy mond, al verberg hy dit onder sy tong,13 al spaar hy dit, en al wil hy dit nie laat vaar nie, maar dit terughou in sy verhemelte --14 tog word sy voedsel in sy ingewande verander, dit word gal van adders in sy binneste.15 Rykdom het hy verslind, maar hy moet dit weer uitspuug; uit sy buik dryf God dit weg.16 Die gif van adders suig hy in, die tong van 'n slang maak hom dood.17 Hy mag hom nie verlustig in beke, in vloeiende strome van heuning en dikmelk nie.18 Wat hy deur arbeid verkry het, gee hy terug sonder om dit in te sluk; na die maat van sy ingeruilde rykdom sal hy nie bly wees nie.19 Want hy het die armes verdruk, aan hulle lot oorgelaat; 'n huis het hy geroof, maar hy sal dit nie opbou nie.20 Want hy het geen rus geken in sy binneste nie; so sal hy dan nie ontsnap met sy kosbare goed nie.21 Niks het ontkom aan sy vraatsug nie; daarom is sy voorspoed nie duursaam nie.22 By die volheid van sy oorvloed sal hy benoud wees: al die hande van ellendiges oorval hom.23 Om sy buik te vul, sal Hy teen hom uitstuur sy toorngloed, en Hy sal dit op hom laat reën as sy voedsel.24 Hy sal vlug vir die ysterwapens -- 'n koperboog sal hom deurboor.25 Hy trek -- daar kom dit uit sy rug, en die glinsterende swaard gaan uit sy gal; verskrikkinge is op hom!26 Pure duisternis is bewaar vir sy skatte; 'n vuur wat nie deur mense aangeblaas is nie, verteer hom; dit wei af wat in sy tent oorbly.27 Die hemel openbaar sy ongeregtigheid, en die aarde staan teen hom op.28 Weggevoer word die opbrings van sy huis -- goed wat wegspoel op die dag van sy toorn.29 Dit is die deel van die goddelose mens van die kant van God en die erfdeel wat vir hom bestem is deur God.