1 E ntonces respondió Zofar naamatita, y dijo:

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

2 P or esto mis pensamientos me hacen responder, a causa de mi inquietud interior.

“Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer, Because of the turmoil within me.

3 H e escuchado la reprensión que me insulta, y el espíritu de mi entendimiento me hace responder.

I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me, And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.

4 ¿ Acaso sabes esto, que desde la antigüedad, desde que el hombre fue puesto sobre la tierra,

“Do you not know this of old, Since man was placed on earth,

5 e s breve el júbilo de los malvados, y un instante dura la alegría del impío ?

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?

6 A unque su presunción llegue a los cielos, y su cabeza toque las nubes,

Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens, And his head reaches to the clouds,

7 c omo su propio estiércol perece para siempre; los que lo han visto dirán: “¿Dónde está ?”

Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse; Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

8 H uye como un sueño, y no lo pueden encontrar, y como visión nocturna es ahuyentado.

He will fly away like a dream, and not be found; Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.

9 E l ojo que lo veía, ya no lo ve, y su lugar no lo contempla más.

The eye that saw him will see him no more, Nor will his place behold him anymore.

10 S us hijos favorecen a los pobres, y sus manos devuelven sus riquezas.

His children will seek the favor of the poor, And his hands will restore his wealth.

11 S us huesos están llenos de vigor juvenil, mas con él en el polvo yacen.

His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it will lie down with him in the dust.

12 A unque el mal sea dulce en su boca, y lo oculte bajo su lengua,

“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, And he hides it under his tongue,

13 a unque lo desee y no lo deje ir, sino que lo retenga en su paladar,

Though he spares it and does not forsake it, But still keeps it in his mouth,

14 c on todo la comida en sus entrañas se transforma en veneno de cobras dentro de él.

Yet his food in his stomach turns sour; It becomes cobra venom within him.

15 T raga riquezas, pero las vomitará; de su vientre se las hará echar Dios.

He swallows down riches And vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly.

16 C hupa veneno de cobras, lengua de víbora lo mata.

He will suck the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue will slay him.

17 N o mira a los arroyos, a los ríos que fluyen miel y cuajada.

He will not see the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and cream.

18 D evuelve lo que ha ganado, no lo puede tragar; en cuanto a las riquezas de su comercio, no las puede disfrutar.

He will restore that for which he labored, And will not swallow it down; From the proceeds of business He will get no enjoyment.

19 P ues ha oprimido y abandonado a los pobres; se ha apoderado de una casa que no construyó.

For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor, He has violently seized a house which he did not build.

20 P orque no conoció sosiego en su interior, no retiene nada de lo que desea.

“Because he knows no quietness in his heart, He will not save anything he desires.

21 N ada le quedó por devorar, por eso no dura su prosperidad.

Nothing is left for him to eat; Therefore his well-being will not last.

22 E n la plenitud de su abundancia estará en estrechez; la mano de todo el que sufre vendrá contra él.

In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress; Every hand of misery will come against him.

23 C uando llene su vientre, Dios enviará contra él el ardor de su ira y la hará llover sobre él mientras come.

When he is about to fill his stomach, God will cast on him the fury of His wrath, And will rain it on him while he is eating.

24 T al vez huya del arma de hierro, pero el arco de bronce lo atravesará.

He will flee from the iron weapon; A bronze bow will pierce him through.

25 L a saeta lo traspasa y sale por su espalda, y la punta relumbrante por su hiel. Vienen sobre él terrores,

It is drawn, and comes out of the body; Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Terrors come upon him;

26 c ompletas tinieblas están reservadas para sus tesoros; fuego no atizado lo devorará, y consumirá al que quede en su tienda.

Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. An unfanned fire will consume him; It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent.

27 L os cielos revelarán su iniquidad, y la tierra se levantará contra él.

The heavens will reveal his iniquity, And the earth will rise up against him.

28 L as riquezas de su casa se perderán; serán arrasadas en el día de su ira.

The increase of his house will depart, And his goods will flow away in the day of His wrath.

29 E sta es la porción de Dios para el hombre impío, y la herencia decretada por Dios para él.

This is the portion from God for a wicked man, The heritage appointed to him by God.”