20
ツォファルのことば
1ナアマ人ツォファルの演説。
2「もう我慢できない。
どうしてもあなたに言ってやりたいことがある。
3罪人呼ばわりしたことを取り上げて、
私に恥をかかせるつもりか。
私は自分の霊にせき立てられて、
黙っていることができない。
4あなたにもわかっているはずだ。
この地上に人が住むようになって以来、
5悪者が勝ち誇るのはつかの間で、
不信心な者の喜びは一夜の夢だ。
6たとえ彼が思い上がり、
肩をいからせて歩いても、
7糞のように捨てられ、永久に滅びる。
彼を知る人たちは、どこへ行ったのかといぶかる。
8彼は幻のように消え失せ、
9友人も家族も、二度とその姿を見ることはない。
10子どもたちは貧しい人に物乞いし、
やっとの思いで負債を埋め合わせる。
11彼がまだ若くても、その骨はちりの上に横たわる。
12彼は悪の楽しみを覚え、それを口の中で溶かし、
13ゆっくり味わいながら、少しずつ飲み下す。
14ところが、それは突然、腹の中で苦くなる。
15たらふく食べた利得も吐き出さなければならない。
彼が食べた物を消化するのを神はお許しにならない。
16それは彼を殺す毒となる。
17盗品を自分のものにして財産を増やすことはできない。
18労苦は報いられず、富も喜びを与えない。
19貧しい者を虐待し、彼らの家を差し押さえたからだ。
彼が元どおりになることはありえない。
20彼の目はいつも貪欲に燃えていたが、
今はすっかり貧乏になり、
彼の夢みてきたものは、みな飛び去った。
21彼は機会あるごとに盗みを働いたので、
その財産はすぐになくなる。
22権力を振りかざしている彼を、いきなり災難が襲う。
不幸な人たちは、寄ってたかって彼を食い物にする。
23彼が腹いっぱいになる寸前に、神の怒りが下る。
24彼は追われ、ついに射止められる。
25矢を抜くと、光る矢尻が胆のうから出てくる。
彼は断末魔の苦しみで顔をゆがめる。
26彼の宝は暗闇の中に隠される。
燃えさかる炎が彼の持ち物をなめ、
遺産をすべて焼き尽くす。
27天は彼の罪をあばき、地は不利な証言を並べ立てる。
28神の怒りの前には、富も役に立たない。
ただ踏みにじられてなくなるばかりだ。
29これが悪者を待ち受ける運命だ。
神がそのようにする。」
Zophar
1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
2“My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.
3I hear a rebuke that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4“Surely you know how it has been from of old,
ever since mankind20:4 Or Adam was placed on the earth,
5that the mirth of the wicked is brief,
the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.
6Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens
and his head touches the clouds,
7he will perish forever, like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found,
banished like a vision of the night.
9The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.
10His children must make amends to the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.
11The youthful vigor that fills his bones
will lie with him in the dust.
12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth
and he hides it under his tongue,
13though he cannot bear to let it go
and lets it linger in his mouth,
14yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;
it will become the venom of serpents within him.
15He will spit out the riches he swallowed;
God will make his stomach vomit them up.
16He will suck the poison of serpents;
the fangs of an adder will kill him.
17He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;
he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.
19For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute;
he has seized houses he did not build.
20“Surely he will have no respite from his craving;
he cannot save himself by his treasure.
21Nothing is left for him to devour;
his prosperity will not endure.
22In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;
the full force of misery will come upon him.
23When he has filled his belly,
God will vent his burning anger against him
and rain down his blows on him.
24Though he flees from an iron weapon,
a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.
25He pulls it out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors will come over him;
26total darkness lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire unfanned will consume him
and devour what is left in his tent.
27The heavens will expose his guilt;
the earth will rise up against him.
28A flood will carry off his house,
rushing waters20:28 Or The possessions in his house will be carried off, / washed away on the day of God’s wrath.
29Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God.”
