1 E ntonces respondió Zofar naamatita, y dijo:

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2 P or esto mis pensamientos me hacen responder, a causa de mi inquietud interior.

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

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

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

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

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

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

that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?

6 A unque su presunción llegue a los cielos, y su cabeza toque las nubes,

Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,

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

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

8 H uye como un sueño, y no lo pueden encontrar, y como visión nocturna es ahuyentado.

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

9 E l ojo que lo veía, ya no lo ve, y su lugar no lo contempla más.

The eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more see him.

10 S us hijos favorecen a los pobres, y sus manos devuelven sus riquezas.

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

11 S us huesos están llenos de vigor juvenil, mas con él en el polvo yacen.

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

12 A unque el mal sea dulce en su boca, y lo oculte bajo su lengua,

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

13 a unque lo desee y no lo deje ir, sino que lo retenga en su paladar,

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

14 c on todo la comida en sus entrañas se transforma en veneno de cobras dentro de él.

yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.

15 T raga riquezas, pero las vomitará; de su vientre se las hará echar Dios.

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

16 C hupa veneno de cobras, lengua de víbora lo mata.

He shall suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue shall kill him.

17 N o mira a los arroyos, a los ríos que fluyen miel y cuajada.

He shall not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

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

That 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.

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

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

20 P orque no conoció sosiego en su interior, no retiene nada de lo que desea.

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

21 N ada le quedó por devorar, por eso no dura su prosperidad.

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

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

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

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

When 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.

24 T al vez huya del arma de hierro, pero el arco de bronce lo atravesará.

He shall flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow shall strike him through.

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

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

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

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

27 L os cielos revelarán su iniquidad, y la tierra se levantará contra él.

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

28 L as riquezas de su casa se perderán; serán arrasadas en el día de su ira.

The increase of his house shall depart. They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.

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

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