1ויען צפר הנעמתי ויאמר׃
1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2לכן שעפי ישיבוני ובעבור חושי בי׃
2Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3מוסר כלמתי אשמע ורוח מבינתי יענני׃
3I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
4הזאת ידעת מני עד מני שים אדם עלי ארץ׃
4Knowest thou [not] this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,
5כי רננת רשעים מקרוב ושמחת חנף עדי רגע׃
5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6אם יעלה לשמים שיאו וראשו לעב יגיע׃
6Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds;
7כגללו לנצח יאבד ראיו יאמרו איו׃
7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8כחלום יעוף ולא ימצאוהו וידד כחזיון לילה׃
8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9עין שזפתו ולא תוסיף ולא עוד תשורנו מקומו׃
9The eye which saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more behold him.
10בניו ירצו דלים וידיו תשבנה אונו׃
10His children shall seek the favor of the poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth.
11עצמותיו מלאו עלומו ועמו על עפר תשכב׃
11His bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the dust.
12אם תמתיק בפיו רעה יכחידנה תחת לשונו׃
12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,
13יחמל עליה ולא יעזבנה וימנענה בתוך חכו׃
13Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;
14לחמו במעיו נהפך מרורת פתנים בקרבו׃
14Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him.
15חיל בלע ויקאנו מבטנו יורשנו אל׃
15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.
16ראש פתנים יינק תהרגהו לשון אפעה׃
16He shall suck the poison of asps: The viper's tongue shall slay him.
17אל ירא בפלגות נהרי נחלי דבש וחמאה׃
17He shall not look upon the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter.
18משיב יגע ולא יבלע כחיל תמורתו ולא יעלס׃
18That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.
19כי רצץ עזב דלים בית גזל ולא יבנהו׃
19For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
20כי לא ידע שלו בבטנו בחמודו לא ימלט׃
20Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.
21אין שריד לאכלו על כן לא יחיל טובו׃
21There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22במלאות שפקו יצר לו כל יד עמל תבואנו׃
22In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.
23יהי למלא בטנו ישלח בו חרון אפו וימטר עלימו בלחומו׃
23When he is about to fill his belly, [God] will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, And will rain it upon him while he is eating.
24יברח מנשק ברזל תחלפהו קשת נחושה׃
24He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25שלף ויצא מגוה וברק ממררתו יהלך עליו אמים׃
25He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.
26כל חשך טמון לצפוניו תאכלהו אש לא נפח ירע שריד באהלו׃
26All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown [by man] shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
27יגלו שמים עונו וארץ מתקוממה לו׃
27The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him.
28יגל יבול ביתו נגרות ביום אפו׃
28The increase of his house shall depart; [His goods] shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29זה חלק אדם רשע מאלהים ונחלת אמרו מאל׃
29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the heritage appointed unto him by God.