1 Da tok Sofar fra Na'ama til orde og sa:
2 Derfor legger mine tanker mig svaret i munnen, og derfor stormer det i mig;
3 hånende tilrettevisning må jeg høre, og min ånd gir mig svar ut fra min innsikt.
4 Vet du da ikke at slik har det vært fra evighet, fra den tid mennesker blev satt på jorden,
5 at de ugudeliges jubel er kort, og den gudløses glede bare varer et øieblikk?
6 Stiger enn hans stolthet til himmelen, og når enn hans hode til skyen,
7 så går han dog likesom sitt skarn til grunne for evig; de som så ham, spør: Hvor er han?
8 Som en drøm flyr han bort, og ingen finner ham mere; han jages bort som et nattesyn.
9 Det øie som så ham, ser ham ikke mere, og hans sted skuer ham ikke lenger.
10 Hans barn må søke småfolks yndest, og hans hender må gi hans gods tilbake.
11 Hans ben var fulle av ungdomskraft, men nu ligger den med ham i støvet.
12 Smaker enn det onde søtt i hans munn, skjuler han det under sin tunge,
13 sparer han på det og slipper det ikke, men holder det tilbake under sin gane,
14 så blir dog hans mat omskapt i hans innvoller og blir til ormegift i hans liv.
15 Han slukte gods, og han må spy det ut igjen; Gud driver det ut av hans buk.
16 Ormegift må han innsuge; huggormens tunge dreper ham.
17 Han skal ikke få se bekker, elver av honning og elver av melk.
18 Han må gi tilbake det han har tjent, og får ikke nyte det; meget gods har han vunnet, men han får liten glede av det.
19 For han knuste småfolk og lot dem ligge der; han rante hus til sig, men får ikke bygge dem om;
20 han kjente aldri ro i sitt indre; han skal ikke slippe unda med sine skatter.
21 Det var intet som undgikk hans grådighet; derfor varer ikke hans lykke.
22 Midt i hans rikdom blir det trangt for ham; hver nødlidende vender sin hånd mot ham.
23 For å fylle hans buk sender Gud sin brennende vrede mot ham og lar sin mat regne på ham.
24 Flykter han for våben av jern, så gjennemborer en bue av kobber ham.
25 Når han så drar pilen ut av sin rygg, og den lynende odd kommer frem av hans galle, da faller dødsredsler over ham.
26 Alt mørke er opspart for hans vel gjemte skatter; en ild som intet menneske puster til, fortærer ham; den eter det som er igjen i hans telt.
27 Himmelen åpenbarer hans misgjerning, og jorden reiser sig mot ham.
28 Det han har samlet i sitt hus, føres bort, det skylles bort på Guds vredes dag.
29 Dette er den lodd som et ugudelig menneske får av Gud, den arv som er tilkjent ham av den Allmektige.
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
2 "Therefore my thoughts answer me,
even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame.
The spirit of my understanding answers me.
4 Don’t you know this from old time,
since man was placed on earth,
5 that the triumphing of the wicked is short,
the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens,
and his head reach to the clouds,
7 yet he will perish forever like his own dung.
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away as a dream, and will not be found.
Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye which saw him will see him no more,
neither will his place see him any more.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor.
His hands will give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youth,
but youth will lie down with him in the dust.
12 "Though wickedness is 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 cobra venom within him.
15 He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again.
God will cast them out of his belly.
16 He will suck cobra venom.
The viper’s tongue will kill him.
17 He will not look at the rivers,
the flowing streams of honey and butter.
18 He will restore that for which he labored, and will not swallow it down.
He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.
19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor.
He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.
20 "Because he knew no quietness within him,
he will not save anything of that in which he delights.
21 There was nothing left that he didn’t devour,
therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him.
The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.
23 When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him.
It will rain on him while he is eating.
24 He will flee from the iron weapon.
The bronze arrow will strike him through.
25 He draws it out, and it comes out of his body.
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver.
Terrors are on him.
26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures.
An unfanned fire will devour him.
It will consume that which is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity.
The earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house will depart.
They will rush away in the day of his wrath.
29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God,
the heritage appointed to him by God."