¹And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

¹[Ny teny voalohany nataon'i Zofara] Dia namaly Zofara Namatita ka nanao hoe:

²Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man of much talk be justified?

²Moa tsy hovaliana va ny teny be toy izany? Ary moa raha maro vava, dia ho marina va?

³Should thy fictions make men hold their peace? and shouldest thou mock, and no one make [thee] ashamed?

³Ny bedibedinao va no hampangina ny olona? Ka dia haniratsira ianao, ka tsy hisy handresy lahatra,

⁴For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

⁴Ary dia hiteny hoe: Madio ny teny nalahatro, ary tsy nanan-tsiny teo imasonao aho.

⁵But oh that +God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

⁵Enga anie ka hiteny Andriamanitra ka hiloa-bava hamaly anao!

⁶And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, how that they are the double of what is realised; and know that +God passeth by [much] of thine iniquity!

⁶Dia hasehony aminao ny fahendrena miafina, fa tsy hita lany izany, ka dia ho fantatrao fa tsy dia novalian'Andriamanitra avokoa ny helokao.[Heb. roa sosona]

⁷Canst thou by searching find out +God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

⁷Takatry ny sainao va ny fomban'Andriamanitra? Ary tanteraka va ny fahitanao ny Tsitoha [Na: ny famantarana an']

⁸[It is as] the heights of heaven; what wilt thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

⁸Avo tahaka ny lanitra izany! ka inona no hainao atao? Lalina noho ny fiainan-tsi-hita! ka inona no fantatrao? [Heb. Sheola]

⁹The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

⁹Lava noho ny tany ny ohany ary lehibe noho ny ranomasina.

¹⁰If he pass by, and shut up, and call to judgment, who can hinder him?

¹⁰Raha mandroso Izy ka misambotra ary manao fitsarana, dia iza moa no mahasakana Azy?

¹¹For he knoweth vain men, and seeth wickedness when [man] doth not consider it;

¹¹Fa Izy mahafantatra ny olon-dratsy; Ary hitany ny heloka, na dia tsy mandinika akory aza Izy.[Na: Ary hitany ny heloka izay tsy heverin'ny olona akory]

¹²Yet a senseless man will make bold, though man be born [like] the foal of a wild ass.

¹²Koa na dia ny olom-poana aza dia hahazo fahendrena, ary na dia ny zanaky ny boriki-dia aza dia hateraka ho olombelona.[Na: Nefa ny olom-poana dia tsy manam-pahendrena; Eny, ny olombelona dia teraka ho toy ny boriki-dia]

¹³If thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands toward him,

¹³Raha ampanatrehinao Azy ny fonao, ary atantinao aminy ny tananao,

¹⁴If thou put far away the iniquity which is in thy hand, and let not wrong dwell in thy tents;

¹⁴Ka misy heloka eo an-tananao, dia ario lavitra izany, ary aza avela hisy ratsy hitoetra ao an-dainao;

¹⁵Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear:

¹⁵Dia hahazo hanandratra ny tavanao tsy misy tsiny ianao, koa hijoro tsara ary tsy hatahotra;

¹⁶For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;

¹⁶Fa ho hadinonao ny fahorianao: Toy ny rano efa nandalo no hahatsiarovanao azy.

¹⁷And life shall arise brighter than noonday; though thou be enshrouded in darkness, thou shalt be as the morning,

¹⁷Ary hamirapiratra lavitra noho ny mitataovovonana ny andronao; na dia sendra manjombona aza, dia ho tonga tahaka ny maraina.

¹⁸And thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about [thee], thou shalt take rest in safety.

¹⁸Hatoky ianao, satria misy fanantenana; eny, hijery manodidina ianao ka handry tsy amin'ahiahy.

¹⁹Yea, thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; and many shall seek thy favour.

¹⁹Dia ho tafandry ianao, fa tsy hisy hanaitaitra; Ary maro no hila sitraka aminao.Fa ny mason'ny ratsy fanahy kosa ho pahina, ka ho very avokoa ny fiarovana azy, ary ny fialàna aina ihany no hany sisa azony antenaina.

²⁰But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and [all] refuge shall vanish from them, and their hope [shall be] the breathing out of life.

²⁰Fa ny mason'ny ratsy fanahy kosa ho pahina, ka ho very avokoa ny fiarovana azy, ary ny fialàna aina ihany no hany sisa azony antenaina.