1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste. 3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. 4 Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, 5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? 6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; 7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which 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 also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods. 11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which 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 forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth: 14 Yet his meat 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 shall 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 see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter. 18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein. 19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; 20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired. 21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods. 22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating. 24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. 25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him. 26 All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle. 27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him. 28 The increase of his house shall depart, and 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".