1 T hen Zophar the Naamathite answered,

Entonces Sofar el naamatita le dijo:

2 T herefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and I make haste for this reason.

«Creo que estoy obligado a responderte. No me puedo quedar callado.

3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame, but out of my understanding my spirit answers me.

Te he escuchado censurar mis reprensiones, y mi inteligencia me obliga a responderte.

4 D o you not know from of old, since the time that man was placed on the earth,

¿Acaso no sabes que esto siempre ha sido así, desde que hubo el primer hombre en la tierra?

5 T hat the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless and defiled is but for a moment?

La alegría del malvado no dura mucho. El gozo del impío es sólo momentáneo.

6 T hough his height mounts up to the heavens and his head reaches to the clouds,

Aunque su orgullo lo eleve hasta el cielo, y crea alcanzar las nubes levantando la cabeza,

7 Y et he will perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, Where is he?

será, como basura, destruido para siempre, y quienes lo hayan visto no volverán a verlo.

8 H e will fly away like a dream and will not be found; yes, he will be chased away as a vision of the night.

Se disipará, se esfumará como un sueño, como una visión nocturna que nadie vuelve a tener.

9 T he eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place any more behold him.

Quienes lo conocieron, nunca más vuelven a verlo, y en su pueblo natal nadie lo podrá reconocer.

10 T he poor will oppress his children, and his hands will give back his wealth.

Sus hijos pedirán la compasión de los pobres, y devolverán lo que su padre haya robado.

11 H is bones are full of youthful energy, but it will lie down with him in the dust.

Aunque ahora sea un hombre lleno de vigor, en la tumba quedará convertido en polvo.

12 T hough wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue,

Solía deleitarse con la miel de su maldad, que su lengua paladeaba con deleite;

13 T hough he is loath to let it go but keeps it still within his mouth,

si su maldad le parecía bien, no la dejaba, sino que la saboreaba con fruición.

14 Y et his food turns in his stomach; it is the venom of asps within him.

¡Pero luego de comerla, le cambiará el sabor! ¡Será en sus entrañas como veneno de víboras!

15 H e has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.

¡Se hartó de riquezas, y tendrá que devolverlas! ¡Dios hará que las arroje de su vientre!

16 H e shall suck the poison of asps; the viper’s tongue shall slay him.

¡Absorberá el veneno mortal de áspides! ¡Una serpiente venenosa lo morderá,

17 H e shall not look upon the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

y no volverá a ver los ríos ni los arroyos, ni los torrentes de leche y miel!

18 T hat which he labored for shall he give back and shall not swallow it down; according to his wealth shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice in it.

»No disfrutará de sus riquezas injustas, sino que todas ellas tendrá que devolverlas,

19 F or he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has violently taken away a house which he did not build.

porque a los pobres los dejó en el desamparo, y se adueñó de casas que él nunca construyó.

20 B ecause his desire and greed knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights.

Por eso, nunca podrá vivir tranquilo, pues en su ambición nada dejaba escapar.

21 T here was nothing left that he did not devour; therefore his prosperity will not endure.

Nunca nada se libró de su voracidad; por eso su prosperidad no será duradera.

22 I n the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be poor and in straits; every hand of everyone who is in misery shall come upon him.

Su extremada abundancia le causará dolor, y todo el poder del mal recaerá sobre él.

23 W hen he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of His wrath upon him and will rain it upon him while he is eating.

Cuando se siente a la mesa, dispuesto a comer, Dios descargará todo el ardor de su ira sobre él y sobre todo lo que coma.

24 H e will flee from the iron weapon, but the bow of bronze shall strike him through.

Aunque huya de las armas de hierro, caerá víctima de un arco de bronce:

25 i s drawn forth and it comes out after passing through his body; yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Terrors march in upon him;

una flecha le atravesará el cuerpo, la punta de acero le perforará el hígado, y le sobrevendrán terribles temores.

26 E very misfortune is laid up for his treasures. A fire not blown by man shall devour him; it shall consume what is left in his tent.

Una terrible oscuridad le está reservada; un fuego no atizado lo consumirá, y acabará con lo que aún quede de su casa.

27 T he heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.

Los cielos dejarán ver sus injusticias, y la tierra se levantará para acusarlo.

28 T he produce and increase of his house will go into exile, dragged away in the day of wrath.

El día que Dios tiene señalado para su ira, sus hijos serán llevados al destierro y esparcidos.

29 T his is the wicked man’s portion from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.

Así castiga Dios a la gente malvada; ésa es la herencia que Dios les ha asignado.»