1 T hen Zophar the Naamathite answered,

Tsophar de Naama prit la parole et dit:

2 “ Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond, Even because of my inward agitation.

Mes pensées me forcent à répondre, Et mon agitation ne peut se contenir.

3 “ I listened to the reproof which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

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

4 “ Do you know this from of old, From the establishment of man on earth,

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

5 T hat the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless momentary?

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

6 “ Though his loftiness reaches the heavens, And his head touches the clouds,

Quand il s'élèverait jusqu'aux cieux, Et que sa tête toucherait aux nues,

7 H e perishes forever like his refuse; Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

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

8 “ He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him; Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.

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

9 “ The eye which saw him sees him no longer, And his place no longer beholds him.

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

10 “ His sons favor the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.

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

11 “ His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it lies down with him in the dust.

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

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

Le mal était doux à sa bouche, Il le cachait sous sa langue,

13 T hough he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth,

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

14 Y et his food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him.

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

15 “ He swallows riches, But will vomit them up; God will expel them from his belly.

Il a englouti des richesses, il les vomira; Dieu les chassera de son ventre.

16 “ He sucks the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue slays him.

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

17 “ He does not look at the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and curds.

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

18 “ He returns what he has attained And cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them.

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

19 “ For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.

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

20 “ Because he knew no quiet within him, He does not retain anything he desires.

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

21 “ Nothing remains for him to devour, Therefore his prosperity does not endure.

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

22 “ In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped; The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

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

23 “ When he fills his belly, God will send His fierce anger on him And will rain it on him while he is eating.

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

24 “ He may flee from the iron weapon, But the bronze bow will pierce him.

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

25 “ It is drawn forth and comes out of his back, Even the glittering point from his gall. Terrors come upon him,

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

26 C omplete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures, And unfanned fire will devour him; It will consume the survivor in his tent.

Toutes 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.

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

Les cieux dévoileront son iniquité, Et la terre s'élèvera contre lui.

28 “ The increase of his house will depart; His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.

Les revenus de sa maison seront emportés, Ils disparaîtront au jour de la colère de Dieu.

29 “ This is the wicked man’s portion from God, Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”

Telle est la part que Dieu réserve au méchant, Tel est l'héritage que Dieu lui destine.