1 R espondió Zofar, el naamatita, y dijo:

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

2 « Por cierto mis pensamientos me hacen responder, y por eso me apresuro.

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

3 H e escuchado una reprensión afrentosa y mi inteligencia me inspira la respuesta.

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

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

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

5 l a alegría de los malos es breve 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 se enaltezca 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; y los que lo hayan visto dirán: “¿Qué es 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 volará y no será hallado; se disipará como una 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 lo veía, nunca más lo verá, ni su lugar lo conocerá más.

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

10 S us hijos solicitarán el favor de 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, llenos aún de su juventud, yacerán con él en el polvo.

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 en 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 lo saboreaba y no lo dejaba, sino que lo retenía y paladeaba,

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 y será veneno de áspides dentro de él.

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

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

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

16 V eneno de áspides chupará; lo matará la lengua de la víbora.

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

17 N o verá más 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 sus ganancias y sus bienes sin haberlos tragado ni gozado de ellos.

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 no edificadas por él,

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

20 p or eso no tendrá sosiego su vientre ni salvará nada de lo que codiciaba.

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

21 N ada quedó que él no devorara, y por eso su bienestar no será duradero.

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

22 E n la plenitud de su abundancia padecerá estrechez; la mano de todos los malvados caerá 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 H uirá de las armas de hierro y el arco de bronce lo atravesará.

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

25 L a saeta lo traspasará, atravesará su cuerpo; la punta reluciente saldrá por su hiel. ¡Sobre él vendrán terrores!

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

26 U na total tiniebla está reservada para sus tesoros; un fuego no atizado los consumirá y devorará lo que quede en su morada.

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 renuevos de su casa serán llevados de allí, 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 prepara para el hombre impío, la herencia que Dios le señala por su palabra.»

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