1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:2 Therefore my uncertain thoughts make me answer, because of the anxiety within me.3 I have heard the admonition against my reproaches, but the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.4 Do you not know this from of old, ever since man was placed upon earth,5 that the rejoicing of the wicked is near its end, and the mirth of the hypocrite is but for a moment?6 Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds,7 yet he shall perish forever like his own dung; those who see him shall say, where is he?8 He shall fly away like a dream, and not be found; yea, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night.9 The eye that has seen him shall see him no more, nor will his place regard him anymore.10 His children shall seek the favor of the poor, and his hands shall return his wealth.11 His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it shall lie down with him in the dust.12 Though evil is sweet in his mouth, and he hides it under his tongue,13 though he spares it and does not forsake it, but still keeps it in his mouth,14 yet his food in his stomach has churned up; it is serpents venom within him.15 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; the Mighty God casts them out of his belly.16 He shall suck the poison of serpents; the vipers tongue shall slay him.17 He shall not see the streams, the rivers of honey and curds.18 He shall give back that for which he labored, and shall not swallow it down; He shall have no enjoyment from the exchanges of his wealth.19 For he has crushed and forsaken the poor, he has seized a house which he did not build.20 Surely he has known no ease in his belly; he shall not save anything he desires.21 No food is left for him; there is no travail after his well-being.22 In the fullness of his scorn he shall be in distress; every hand of trouble shall come against him.23 When he is about to fill his stomach, God will cast upon him the fury of His wrath, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.24 If he flees from the iron weapon, a bronze bow shall pierce him through.25 It has been drawn, and comes out the back; yea, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Terrors come upon him;26 total darkness is his hidden treasure. An unfanned fire shall devour him; and any survivors in his tent shall tremble.27 The heavens shall lay bare his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.28 The fruit of his house shall be removed, being poured out in the day of His wrath.29 This is the portion from God for a wicked man, the heritage promised to him by the Mighty God.
1 Forsothe Sophar Naamathites answeride, and seide,2 Therfor my thouytis dyuerse comen oon aftir anothir; and the mynde is rauyischid in to dyuerse thingis.3 Y schal here the techyng, bi which thou repreuest me; and the spirit of myn vndurstondyng schal answere me.4 Y woot this fro the bigynnyng, sithen man was set on erthe,5 that the preisyng of wickid men is schort, and the ioie of an ypocrite is at the licnesse of a poynt.6 Thouy his pride `stieth in to heuene, and his heed touchith the cloudis,7 he schal be lost in the ende, as a dunghil; and, thei that sien hym, schulen seie, Where is he?8 As a dreem fleynge awei he schal not be foundun; he schal passe as `a nyytis siyt.9 The iye that siy hym schal not se; and his place schal no more biholde him.10 Hise sones schulen be `al to-brokun with nedynesse; and hise hondis schulen yelde to hym his sorewe.11 Hise boonys schulen be fillid with the vices of his yong wexynge age; and schulen slepe with hym in dust.12 For whanne yuel was swete in his mouth, he hidde it vndur his tunge.13 He schal spare it, and schal not forsake it; and schal hide in his throte.14 His breed in his wombe schal be turned in to galle of snakis withynne.15 He schal spue out the richessis, whiche he deuouride; and God schal drawe tho ritchessis out of his wombe.16 He schal souke the heed of snakis; and the tunge of an addre schal sle hym.17 Se he not the stremys of the flood of the stronde, of hony, and of botere.18 He schal suffre peyne for alle thingis whiche he hath do, netheles he schal not be wastid; aftir the multitude of his fyndyngis, so and `he schal suffre.19 For he brake, and made nakid the hows of a pore man; he rauyschide, and bildide it not.20 And his wombe was not fillid; and whanne he hath that, that he couetide, he may not holde in possessioun.21 `No thing lefte of his mete; and therfor no thing schal dwelle of his goodis.22 Whanne he is fillid, he schal be maad streit; he schal `be hoot, and alle sorewe schal falle in on hym.23 `Y wolde, that his wombe be fillid, that he sende out in to hym the ire of his strong veniaunce, and reyne his batel on hym.24 He schal fle yrun armuris, and he schal falle in to a brasun boowe.25 Led out, and goynge out `of his schethe, and schynynge, `ether smytinge with leit, `in to his bittirnesse; orrible fendis schulen go, and schulen come on hym.26 Alle derknessis ben hid in hise priuytees; fier, which is not teendid, schal deuoure hym; he schal be turmentid left in his tabernacle.27 Heuenes schulen schewe his wickidnesse; and erthe schal rise togidere ayens hym.28 The seed of his hows schal be opyn; it schal be drawun doun in the dai of the strong veniaunce of the Lord.29 This is the part of a wickid man, `which part is youun of God, and the eritage of hise wordis of the Lord.