1 R espondió Zofar naamatita, y dijo:

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

2 P or cierto mis pensamientos me urgen a responder, Y por tanto me apresuro.

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

3 H e oído una reprensión que me ultraja, Y me hace responder un soplo de mi mente.

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

4 ¿ No sabes esto, que así fue siempre, Desde el tiempo que fue puesto el hombre sobre la tierra,

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

5 Q ue la alegría de los malos es efímera, Y el gozo del impío sólo dura un momento?

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

6 A unque suba su altivez hasta el cielo, 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 estiércol, perecerá para siempre; Los que le hayan visto dirán: ¿Qué queda de él?

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

8 C omo un sueño pasará, y no será hallado, Y se disipará como visión nocturna,

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 le veía, nunca más le verá, Ni su morada le conocerá más.

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

10 S us hijos tendrán que indemnizar a los pobres, Y sus manos devolverán lo que él robó.

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

11 S us huesos rebosaban de vigor juvenil, Mas con él en el polvo yacerán.

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

12 S i el mal era dulce a su boca, Si lo ocultaba debajo de su lengua,

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

13 S i le parecía bien, y no lo soltaba, Sino que lo retenía en su paladar;

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

14 S u comida se corromperá en sus entrañas; Hiel de áspides será dentro de él.

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

15 D evoró riquezas, pero las vomitará; De su vientre se las sacará Dios.

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

16 V eneno de áspides chupará; Lo matará lengua de víbora.

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

17 N o verá los arroyos, los ríos, Los torrentes de miel y de leche.

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

18 R estituirá su ganancia conforme a los bienes que tomó, Y no los tragará ni gozará.

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 or cuanto quebrantó y desamparó a los pobres, Y robó casas que no había edificado.

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

20 P or cuanto no se saciaba su vientre, Ni se salvó nada de su codicia,

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

21 Y no quedó nada que no devorase, Por tanto, su bienestar no será duradero.

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

22 E n el colmo de su abundancia padecerá estrechez; La mano de todos los malvados vendrá sobre él.

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

23 C uando se ponga a llenar su vientre, Dios enviará sobre él el ardor de su ira, Y la hará llover sobre él y sobre su comida.

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 S i escapa de las armas de hierro, El arco de bronce le atravesará.

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

25 L a saeta le traspasará y le saldrá por la espalda, Y la punta relumbrante saldrá por su hiel; Sobre él se abatirá el pavor.

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

26 T odas las tinieblas están reservadas para sus tesoros; Fuego no atizado los consumirá; Devorará lo 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 descubrirán 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 os productos de sus cosechas serán arrastrados por una inundación; Serán esparcidos en el día de su furor.

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

29 É sta es la suerte que Dios reserva al hombre impío, Y la heredad que Dios le señala por su palabra.

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