1 T sophar de Naama prit la parole et dit:

And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --

2 M es pensées me forcent à répondre, Et mon agitation ne peut se contenir.

Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.

3 J 'ai entendu des reproches qui m'outragent; Le souffle de mon intelligence donnera la réplique.

The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:

4 N e sais-tu pas que, de tout temps, Depuis que l'homme a été placé sur la terre,

This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?

5 L e triomphe des méchants a été court, Et la joie de l'impie momentanée?

That the singing of the wicked short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

6 Q uand il s'élèverait jusqu'aux cieux, Et que sa tête toucherait aux nues,

Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike --

7 I l périra pour toujours comme son ordure, Et ceux qui le voyaient diront: Où est-il?

As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: `Where he?'

8 I l s'envolera comme un songe, et on ne le trouvera plus; Il disparaîtra comme une vision nocturne;

As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,

9 L 'oeil qui le regardait ne le regardera plus, Le lieu qu'il habitait ne l'apercevra plus.

The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.

10 S es fils seront assaillis par les pauvres, Et ses mains restitueront ce qu'il a pris par violence.

His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.

11 L a vigueur de la jeunesse, qui remplissait ses membres, Aura sa couche avec lui dans la poussière.

His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

12 L e mal était doux à sa bouche, Il le cachait sous sa langue,

Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,

13 I l le savourait sans l'abandonner, Il le retenait au milieu de son palais;

Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,

14 M ais sa nourriture se transformera dans ses entrailles, Elle deviendra dans son corps un venin d'aspic.

His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps in his heart.

15 I l a englouti des richesses, il les vomira; Dieu les chassera de son ventre.

Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.

16 I l a sucé du venin d'aspic, La langue de la vipère le tuera.

Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.

17 I l ne reposera plus ses regards sur les ruisseaux, Sur les torrents, sur les fleuves de miel et de lait.

He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.

18 I l rendra ce qu'il a gagné, et n'en profitera plus; Il restituera tout ce qu'il a pris, et n'en jouira plus.

He is giving back he laboured for, And doth not consume; As a bulwark his exchange, and he exults not.

19 C ar il a opprimé, délaissé les pauvres, Il a ruiné des maisons et ne les a pas rétablies.

For he oppressed -- he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.

20 S on avidité n'a point connu de bornes; Mais il ne sauvera pas ce qu'il avait de plus cher.

For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.

21 R ien n'échappait à sa voracité; Mais son bien-être ne durera pas.

There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.

22 A u milieu de l'abondance il sera dans la détresse; La main de tous les misérables se lèvera sur lui.

In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.

23 E t voici, pour lui remplir le ventre, Dieu enverra sur lui le feu de sa colère, Et le rassasiera par une pluie de traits.

It cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his eating.

24 S 'il échappe aux armes de fer, L'arc d'airain le transpercera.

He fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.

25 I l arrache de son corps le trait, Qui étincelle au sortir de ses entrailles, Et il est en proie aux terreurs de la mort.

One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him terrors.

26 T outes les calamités sont réservées à ses trésors; Il sera consumé par un feu que n'allumera point l'homme, Et ce qui restera dans sa tente en deviendra la pâture.

All darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.

27 L es cieux dévoileront son iniquité, Et la terre s'élèvera contre lui.

Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.

28 L es revenus de sa maison seront emportés, Ils disparaîtront au jour de la colère de Dieu.

Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.

29 T elle est la part que Dieu réserve au méchant, Tel est l'héritage que Dieu lui destine.

This the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.