1 T hen Zophar the Naamathite answered,

Entonces respondió Zofar naamatita, y dijo:

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

Por esto mis pensamientos me hacen responder, a causa de mi inquietud interior.

3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.

He escuchado la reprensión que me insulta, y el espíritu de mi entendimiento me hace responder.

4 D on’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,

¿Acaso sabes esto, que desde la antigüedad, desde que el hombre fue puesto sobre la tierra,

5 t hat the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?

es breve el júbilo de los malvados, y un instante dura la alegría del impío ?

6 T hough his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,

Aunque su presunción llegue a los cielos, y su cabeza toque las nubes,

7 y et he shall perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him shall say, ‘Where is he?’

como su propio estiércol perece para siempre; los que lo han visto dirán: “¿Dónde está ?”

8 H e shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found. Yes, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night.

Huye como un sueño, y no lo pueden encontrar, y como visión nocturna es ahuyentado.

9 T he eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more see him.

El ojo que lo veía, ya no lo ve, y su lugar no lo contempla más.

10 H is children shall seek the favor of the poor. His hands shall give back his wealth.

Sus hijos favorecen a los pobres, y sus manos devuelven sus riquezas.

11 H is bones are full of his youth, but youth shall lie down with him in the dust.

Sus huesos están llenos de vigor juvenil, mas con él en el polvo yacen.

12 “ Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

Aunque el mal sea dulce en su boca, y lo oculte bajo su lengua,

13 t hough he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;

aunque lo desee y no lo deje ir, sino que lo retenga en su paladar,

14 y et his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.

con todo la comida en sus entrañas se transforma en veneno de cobras dentro de él.

15 H e has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

Traga riquezas, pero las vomitará; de su vientre se las hará echar Dios.

16 H e shall suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue shall kill him.

Chupa veneno de cobras, lengua de víbora lo mata.

17 H e shall not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

No mira a los arroyos, a los ríos que fluyen miel y cuajada.

18 T hat 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.

Devuelve lo que ha ganado, no lo puede tragar; en cuanto a las riquezas de su comercio, no las puede disfrutar.

19 F or he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

Pues ha oprimido y abandonado a los pobres; se ha apoderado de una casa que no construyó.

20 “ Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save anything of that in which he delights.

Porque no conoció sosiego en su interior, no retiene nada de lo que desea.

21 T here was nothing left that he didn’t devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

Nada le quedó por devorar, por eso no dura su prosperidad.

22 I n the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.

En la plenitud de su abundancia estará en estrechez; la mano de todo el que sufre vendrá contra él.

23 W hen 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.

Cuando llene su vientre, Dios enviará contra él el ardor de su ira y la hará llover sobre él mientras come.

24 H e shall flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow shall strike him through.

Tal vez huya del arma de hierro, pero el arco de bronce lo atravesará.

25 H e draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.

La saeta lo traspasa y sale por su espalda, y la punta relumbrante por su hiel. Vienen sobre él terrores,

26 A ll darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

completas tinieblas están reservadas para sus tesoros; fuego no atizado lo devorará, y consumirá al que quede en su tienda.

27 T he heavens shall reveal his iniquity. The earth shall rise up against him.

Los cielos revelarán su iniquidad, y la tierra se levantará contra él.

28 T he increase of his house shall depart. They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.

Las riquezas de su casa se perderán; serán arrasadas en el día de su ira.

29 T his is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”

Esta es la porción de Dios para el hombre impío, y la herencia decretada por Dios para él.