1 E ntonces Sofar el naamatita le dijo:

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

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 puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.

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

Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on 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, 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 to the clouds,

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

yet he shall perish forever like his own dung. Those who 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. Yes, he shall be chased away like 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 see 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. 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 youth 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 is 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 cobra venom within him.

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

He has 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 cobra venom. The viper’s tongue shall kill him.

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

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

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

That for which he labored he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down. According to the substance that he has 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 has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has 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 anything of that in which he delights.

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

There was nothing left that he didn’t devour, 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 fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on 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 on him. It will rain on 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. The bronze arrow 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 draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on 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. An unfanned fire 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. 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. They shall rush 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, the heritage appointed to him by God.”