The Second Speech of Zophar
1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied,
2“My troubled thoughts force me to answer you.
That’s because I’m very upset.
3What you have just said dishonors me.
So I really have to reply to you.
4“I’m sure you must know how things have always been.
They’ve been that way
ever since human beings were placed on this earth.
5Those who are evil are happy for only a short time.
The joy of ungodly people lasts only for a moment.
6Their pride might reach all the way up to the heavens.
Their heads might touch the clouds.
7But they will disappear forever,
like the waste from their own bodies.
Anyone who has seen them will say,
‘Where did they go?’
8Like a dream they will fly away.
They will never be seen again.
They will be driven away like visions in the night.
9The eyes that saw them won’t see them anymore.
Even their own families won’t remember them.
10Their children must pay back what they took from poor people.
Their own hands must give back the wealth they stole.
11They might feel young and very strong.
But they will soon lie down in the dust of their graves.
12“Anything that is evil tastes sweet to them.
They keep it under their tongues for a while.
13They can’t stand to let it go.
So they hold it in their mouths.
14But their food will turn sour in their stomachs.
It will become like the poison of a serpent inside them.
15They will spit out the rich food they swallowed.
God will make their stomachs throw it up.
16They will suck the poison of a serpent.
The fangs of an adder will kill them.
17They won’t enjoy streams that flow with honey.
They won’t enjoy rivers that flow with cream.
18What they worked for they must give back
before they can eat it.
They won’t enjoy what they have earned.
19They’ve crushed poor people and left them with nothing.
They’ve taken over houses they didn’t even build.
20“No matter how much they have,
they always long for more.
But their treasure can’t save them.
21There isn’t anything left for them to eat up.
Their success won’t last.
22While they are enjoying the good life,
trouble will catch up with them.
Terrible suffering will come on them.
23When they’ve filled their stomachs,
God will pour out his great anger on them.
He’ll strike them down with blow after blow.
24They might run away from iron weapons.
But arrows that have bronze tips will wound them.
25They will pull the arrows out of their backs.
They will remove the shining tips from their livers.
They will be filled with terror.
26Total darkness hides and waits for their treasures.
God will send a fire that will destroy them.
It will burn up everything that’s left in their tents.
27Heaven will show their guilt to everyone.
The earth will be a witness against them.
28A flood will carry their houses away.
Rushing water will wash them away
on the day when God judges.
29Now you know what God will do to sinful people.
Now you know what he has planned for them.”
Sofar Mmuaeɛ A Ɛtɔ So Mmienu
1Na Naamani Sofar buaa sɛ,
2“Me tiri mu ntene me, na ɛhyɛ me sɛ memmua
ɛfiri sɛ me ho yera me yie.
3Mate animka bi a ɛgu me ho fi,
na nteaseɛ a menya no hyɛ me sɛ memmua.
4“Ampa ara wonim sɛdeɛ nneɛma teɛ firi tete,
ɛfiri ɛberɛ a wɔde nnipa duaa asase so,
5sɛ amumuyɛfoɔ ani gye ɛberɛ tiawa bi mu,
na wɔn a wɔnnsuro nyame nso anigyeɛ nkyɛ.
6Ɛwom sɛ nʼahohoahoa kɔduru ɔsoro,
na ne tiri kɔpem omununkum deɛ,
7nanso, ɔbɛyera afebɔɔ te sɛ nʼankasa agyanan;
na wɔn a wɔhunuu no no bɛbisa sɛ, ‘Ɔwɔ he?’
8Ɔtu kɔ te sɛ daeɛ, na wɔrenhunu no bio.
Wɔtwam kɔ te sɛ anadwo mu anisoadehunu.
9Ani a ɛhunu noɔ no renhunu no bio;
na ne siberɛ nso renhunu no bio.
10Ne mma bɛsrɛ adeɛ afiri ahiafoɔ hɔ;
ɛsɛ sɛ nʼankasa de nʼahonya sane ma.
11Ne mmeranteberɛ mu ahoɔden a ahyɛ ne nnompe ma no
ne no bɛkɔ mfuturo mu.
12“Ɛwom sɛ bɔne yɛ nʼanom dɛ
na ɔde sie ne tɛkrɛma ase;
13ɛwom sɛ ɔntumi nnyaa mu
na ɔma ɛka ne dodom,
14nanso, nʼaduane bɛyɛ nwono wɔ ne yafunu mu;
ɛbɛyɛ ɔtweaseɛ ano borɔ wɔ ne mu.
15Ɔbɛfe ahonyadeɛ a ɔmeneeɛ no;
Onyankopɔn bɛma ne yafunu apu agu.
16Ɔbɛfefe awɔ borɔ;
Ɔnanka se bɛkum no.
17Ɔrennya nsuwansuwa no nnom
nsubɔntene a nufosuo ne ɛwoɔ sene wɔ mu no.
18Ɔbɛdane deɛ ɔbrɛ nyaeɛ no aba a ɔrenni bi;
ɔremfa nʼadwadie mu mfasoɔ nnye nʼani.
19Ɛfiri sɛ ɔhyɛɛ ahiafoɔ so ma wɔdii ohia buruburo;
ɔde ne nsa ato afie a ɛnyɛ ɔno na ɔsiiɛ so.
20“Ampa ara ɔrennya ahomegyeɛ mfiri deɛ wapere anya no mu;
ɔrentumi mfa nʼakoradeɛ nnye ne ho nkwa.
21Wafom nneɛma nyinaa awie;
ne nkɔsoɔ nnuru baabiara.
22Nʼadedodoɔ nyinaa mu no, ɔbɛkɔ ɔhaw mu;
na amanehunu a emu yɛ den bɛto no.
23Ɛberɛ a nʼafuru ayɛ ma no,
Onyankopɔn bɛtɔ nʼabufuo ogya agu ne so
na wabobɔ no basabasa.
24Ɛwom sɛ ɔdwane firi dadeɛ akodeɛ ano
nanso bɛmma a ano yɛ kɔbere mfrafraeɛ bɛwɔ no.
25Wɔbɛtwe bɛmma no firi nʼakyi,
ano hyɛnhyɛn no bɛfiri ne brɛboɔ mu.
Ehu bɛba ne so;
26esum kabii bɛduru nʼakoradeɛ.
Ogya a wɔmfite mu bɛhye no,
na asɛe deɛ aka wɔ ne ntomadan mu.
27Ɔsoro bɛda nʼafɔdie adi,
na asase asɔre atia no.
28Nsuyire bɛtwe ne fie akɔ,
saa ara na nsuworosoɔ bɛyɛ Onyankopɔn abufuhyeɛ da no.
29Yei ne hyɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn de ma amumuyɛfoɔ,
awugyadeɛ a Onyankopɔn de ato wɔn hɔ.”
