1 Discurso de Zofar o naamatita:
2 Apresso-me a tomar a palavra para responder,visto que tenho uma resposta a dar.
3 Tentaste fazer-me ficar envergonhadoao considerar-te um pecador; mas o meu espírito tem qualquer coisa a dizer-te.
4 Não te dás conta de que logo que o homem foi posto sobre a Terra,o triunfo do malvado sempre foi de curta duração,e as alegrias do ímpio apenas uns momentos passageiros?
6 Ainda que o ímpio pretenda elevar-se a si mesmoaté ao cimo dos céus,e ande sempre de cara levantada,há-de perecer para sempre, posto de lado, como esterco.
8 Os que o conheciam dir-se-ão: Foi-se, como um sonho. Nem os amigos nem a família o verão mais.
10 Os seus filhos serão obrigados a pedir emprestado aos pobres;e será unicamente pelo seu próprio duro trabalhoque pagarão as dívidas do pai.
11 Ainda que seja jovem, os seus ossos jazerão no pó da terra.
14 Mas repentinamente os alimentos que ingeretransformam-se em veneno de víboras nas suas entranhas.
15 É obrigado a vomitar todo o saque que engoliu. Deus não permitirá que o guarde.
16 Tornar-se-á como veneno que o mata.
17 Não gozará dos bens que roubou; não serão, de maneira nenhuma, nem manteiga nem mel para ele.
18 O seu trabalho não lhe será pago; a riqueza não lhe trará alegria.
19 Porque oprime o pobre e confisca-lhe as casas;casas essas que os infelizes não recuperarão jamais.
20 Era insaciável, e agora nada tem;nada daquilo com que sonhou pode conservar.
21 Visto que aproveitava cada ocasião para roubar,a sua fazenda não se manterá.
22 Ainda que em plena abastança, viverá sempre angustiado. A mão dos outros infames procurará destrui-lo.
23 Quando estiver enchendo a barrigaDeus fará chover sobre ele o ardor da sua ira.
24 Ainda que fuja das armas de ferroacaba por ser atravessado por um arco de bronze.
25 Ao arrancarem a flecha do seu corpo sair-lhe-á o fel. Assombros mortais virá sobre ele.
26 Os seus tesouros perder-se-ão em tenebrosos esconderijos. Um fogo devastador devorar-lhe-á as riquezas,consumindo tudo o que deixou.
29 Eis a sorte do iníquo, o que Deus lhe prepara.
1 Then responded Zophar the Naamathite, and said:
2 Not so, do my thoughts answer me, and to this end, is my haste within me:
3 The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spiritout of my understanding, will give me a reply.
4 Knowest thou, thisfrom antiquity, from the placing of man upon earth:
5 That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?
6 Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, and, his head, to the clouds, doth reach,
7 Like his own stubble, shall he utterly perish, They who had seen him, shall say, Where is he?
8 Like a dream, shall he fly away, and they shall not find him, yea he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night.
9 The eye that hath scanned him, shall not do it again, neither, any more, shall his place behold him:
10 His children, shall seek the favour of the poor, and, his own hand, shall give back his wealth.
11 His bones, are full of youthful vigour, yet, with himin the dust, shall it lie down.
12 Though, a sweet taste in his mouth, be given by vice, though he hide it under his tongue;
13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,
14 His food, in his stomach, is changed, the gall of adders, within him!
15 Wealth, hath he swallowed, and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly, shall, GOD, drive it forth:
16 The poison of adders, shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;
17 Let him not see in the channels the flowings of torrents of honey and milk.
18 In vain, he toiled, he shall not swallow, like wealth to be restored, in which he cannot exult!
19 For he hath oppressedhath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.
20 Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind,With his dearest thing, shall he not get away:
21 Nothing escaped his devouring greed,For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:
22 When his abundance is gone, he shall be in straits, All the power of distress, shall come upon him.
23 It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain upon him for his punishment.
24 He shall flee from the armour of iron,There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!
25 He hath drawn it out, and it hath come forth out of his back,yea the flashing arrow-head, out of his gall, There shall march on himterrors:
26 Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures,There shall consume, a fire, not blown up,it shall destroy what remaineth in his tent:
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and, the earth, be rising up against him:
28 The increase of his house shall vanish, melting away in the day of his anger.
29 This, is the portion of the lawless man, from God, and the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.