1 And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --

1 וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַנַּֽעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.

2 לָ֭כֵן שְׂעִפַּ֣י יְשִׁיב֑וּנִי וּ֝בַעֲב֗וּר ח֣וּשִׁי בִֽי׃

3 The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:

3 מוּסַ֣ר כְּלִמָּתִ֣י אֶשְׁמָ֑ע וְ֝ר֗וּחַ מִֽבִּינָתִ֥י יַעֲנֵֽנִי׃

4 This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?

4 הֲזֹ֣את יָ֭דַעְתָּ מִנִּי־עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

5 That the singing of the wicked `is' short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

5 כִּ֤י רִנְנַ֣ת רְ֭שָׁעִים מִקָּרֹ֑וב וְשִׂמְחַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף עֲדֵי־רָֽגַע׃

6 Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike --

6 אִם־יַעֲלֶ֣ה לַשָּׁמַ֣יִם שִׂיאֹ֑ו וְ֝רֹאשֹׁ֗ו לָעָ֥ב יַגִּֽיעַ׃

7 As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: `Where `is' he?'

7 כְּֽ֭גֶלֲלֹו לָנֶ֣צַח יֹאבֵ֑ד רֹ֝אָ֗יו יֹאמְר֥וּ אַיֹּֽו׃

8 As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,

8 כַּחֲלֹ֣ום יָ֭עוּף וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָא֑וּהוּ וְ֝יֻדַּ֗ד כְּחֶזְיֹ֥ון לָֽיְלָה׃

9 The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.

9 עַ֣יִן זָפַתּוּ וְלֹ֣א תֹוסִ֑יף וְלֹא־עֹ֝֗וד תְּשׁוּרֶ֥נּוּ מְקֹומֹֽו׃

10 His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.

10 בָּ֭נָיו יְרַצּ֣וּ דַלִּ֑ים וְ֝יָדָ֗יו תָּשֵׁ֥בְנָה אֹונֹֽו׃

11 His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

11 עַ֭צְמֹותָיו מָלְא֣וּ עֲלוּמֹו עֲלוּמָ֑יו וְ֝עִמֹּ֗ו עַל־עָפָ֥ר תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃

12 Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,

12 אִם־תַּמְתִּ֣יק בְּפִ֣יו רָעָ֑ה יַ֝כְחִידֶ֗נָּה תַּ֣חַת לְשֹׁונֹֽו׃

13 Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,

13 יַחְמֹ֣ל עָ֭לֶיהָ וְלֹ֣א יַֽעַזְבֶ֑נָּה וְ֝יִמְנָעֶ֗נָּה בְּתֹ֣וךְ חִכֹּֽו׃

14 His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps `is' in his heart.

14 לַ֭חְמֹו בְּמֵעָ֣יו נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ מְרֹורַ֖ת פְּתָנִ֣ים בְּקִרְבֹּֽו׃

15 Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.

15 חַ֣יִל בָּ֭לַע וַיְקִאֶ֑נּוּ מִ֝בִּטְנֹ֗ו יֹֽורִשֶׁ֥נּוּ³ אֵֽל׃

16 Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.

16 רֹאשׁ־פְּתָנִ֥ים יִינָ֑ק תַּֽ֝הַרְגֵ֗הוּ לְשֹׁ֣ון אֶפְעֶֽה׃

17 He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.

17 אַל־יֵ֥רֶא בִפְלַגֹּ֑ות נַהֲרֵ֥י נַ֝חֲלֵ֗י דְּבַ֣שׁ וְחֶמְאָֽה׃

18 He is giving back `what' he laboured for, And doth not consume `it'; As a bulwark `is' his exchange, and he exults not.

18 מֵשִׁ֣יב יָ֭גָע וְלֹ֣א יִבְלָ֑ע כְּחֵ֥יל תְּ֝מוּרָתֹ֗ו וְלֹ֣א יַעֲלֹֽס׃

19 For he oppressed -- he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.

19 כִּֽי־רִ֭צַּץ עָזַ֣ב דַּלִּ֑ים בַּ֥יִת גָּ֝זַ֗ל וְלֹ֣א יִבֶנֵֽהוּ׃

20 For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.

20 כִּ֤י׀ לֹא־יָדַ֣ע שָׁלֵ֣ו בְּבִטְנֹ֑ו בַּ֝חֲמוּדֹ֗ו לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט׃

21 There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.

21 אֵין־שָׂרִ֥יד לְאָכְלֹ֑ו עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן לֹא־יָחִ֥יל טוּבֹֽו׃

22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.

22 בִּמְלֹ֣אות פְקֹו יֵ֣צֶר לֹ֑ו כָּל־יַ֖ד עָמֵ֣ל תְּבֹואֶֽנּוּ׃

23 It cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his eating.

23 יְהִ֤י׀ לְמַלֵּ֬א בִטְנֹ֗ו יְֽשַׁלַּח־בֹּ֖ו חֲרֹ֣ון אַפֹּ֑ו וְיַמְטֵ֥ר עָ֝לֵ֗ימֹו בִּלְחוּמֹֽו׃

24 He fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.

24 יִ֭בְרַח מִנֵּ֣שֶׁק בַּרְזֶ֑ל תַּ֝חְלְפֵ֗הוּ קֶ֣שֶׁת נְחוּשָֽׁה׃

25 One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him `are' terrors.

25 שָׁלַף֮ וַיֵּצֵ֪א מִגֵּ֫וָ֥ה וּ֭בָרָק מִֽמְּרֹרָתֹ֥ו יַהֲלֹ֗ךְ עָלָ֥יו אֵמִֽים׃

26 All darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.

26 כָּל־חֹשֶׁךְ֮ טָמ֪וּן לִצְפּ֫וּנָ֥יו³ תְּ֭אָכְלֵהוּ אֵ֣שׁ לֹֽא־נֻפָּ֑ח יֵ֖רַע שָׂרִ֣יד בְּאָהֳלֹֽו׃

27 Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.

27 יְגַלּ֣וּ שָׁמַ֣יִם עֲוֹנֹ֑ו וְ֝אֶ֗רֶץ מִתְקֹומָ֘מָ֥ה לֹֽו׃

28 Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.

28 יִ֭גֶל יְב֣וּל בֵּיתֹ֑ו נִ֝גָּרֹ֗ות בְּיֹ֣ום אַפֹּֽו׃

29 This `is' the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.

29 זֶ֤ה׀ חֵֽלֶק־אָדָ֣ם רָ֭שָׁע מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְנַחֲלַ֖ת אִמְרֹ֣ו מֵאֵֽל׃