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

¹And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —

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

²Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?

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

³Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

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

⁴And thou sayest, `Pure [is] my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.`

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

⁵And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

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]

⁶And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, [Some] of thine iniquity.

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

⁷By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

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

⁸Heights of the heavens! — what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! — what knowest thou?

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

⁹Longer than earth [is] its measure, And broader than the sea.

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

¹⁰If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse 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]

¹¹For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider [it]!

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]

¹²And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

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

¹³If thou — thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

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

¹⁴If iniquity [is] in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.

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

¹⁵For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

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

¹⁶For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

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

¹⁷And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest — as the morning thou art.

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

¹⁸And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched — in confidence thou liest down,

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.

¹⁹And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

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.

²⁰And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!