1 E ntonces Sofar el naamatita le dijo:

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

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

Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason of my haste that is in me.

3 T e he escuchado censurar mis reprensiones, y mi inteligencia me obliga a responderte.

I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.

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

Knowest thou not this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,

5 L a alegría del malvado no dura mucho. El gozo del impío es sólo momentáneo.

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

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

Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds;

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

Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?

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

He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

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

The eye which saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more behold him.

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

His children shall seek the favor of the poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth.

11 A unque ahora sea un hombre lleno de vigor, en la tumba quedará convertido en polvo.

His bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 S olía deleitarse con la miel de su maldad, que su lengua paladeaba con deleite;

Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,

13 s i su maldad le parecía bien, no la dejaba, sino que la saboreaba con fruición.

Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;

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

Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him.

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

He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.

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

He shall suck the poison of asps: The viper's tongue shall slay him.

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

He shall not look upon the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter.

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

That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.

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

For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

20 P or eso, nunca podrá vivir tranquilo, pues en su ambición nada dejaba escapar.

Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.

21 N unca nada se libró de su voracidad; por eso su prosperidad no será duradera.

There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

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

In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.

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

When 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.

24 A unque huya de las armas de hierro, caerá víctima de un arco de bronce:

He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through.

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

He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.

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

All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown by man shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

27 L os cielos dejarán ver sus injusticias, y la tierra se levantará para acusarlo.

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

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

The increase of his house shall depart; His goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

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

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the heritage appointed unto him by God.