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.”
Sofari Anasema: Uovu Hupokea Malipo Ya Haki
120:1 Ay 2:11Ndipo Sofari Mnaamathi akajibu:
220:2 Za 42:5; Mao 1:20“Mawazo yanayonisumbua yananisukuma kujibu,
kwa sababu nimehangaika sana.
320:3 Ay 19:3Ninasikia makaripio ambayo yananivunjia heshima,
nao ufahamu wangu unanisukuma kujibu.
420:4 Kum 4:32; Ay 32:7“Hakika unajua jinsi ilivyokuwa tangu zamani,
tangu zamani mwanadamu alipowekwa duniani,
520:5 Ay 8:12; Za 73:19; 37:35macheko ya mtu mwovu ni ya muda mfupi,
nayo furaha ya wasiomcha Mungu hudumu kwa kitambo tu.
620:6 Ay 33:17; Isa 16:6; Mwa 11:4; Isa 14:13-14; Oba 1:3-4Ingawa kujikweza kwake hufikia mbinguni
na kichwa chake hugusa mawingu,
720:7 Ay 4:20; 7:8; 14:20ataangamia milele kama mavi yake mwenyewe.
Wale waliomwona watauliza, ‘Yuko wapi?’
820:8 Za 90:5; 73:20; Mhu 6:12; 12:7; Ay 18:11-18; Isa 17:14; 29:7Kama ndoto hutoweka, wala hapatikani tena,
amefukuziwa mbali kama maono ya usiku.
920:9 Ay 7:8Jicho lililomwona halitamwona tena;
mahali pake hapatamwona tena.
1020:10 Ay 5:4; 20:15, 18, 20; 3:15Watoto wake watalipa yote baba yao aliyowadhulumu maskini,
nayo mikono yake itarudisha mali yote aliyonyangʼanya watu.
1120:11 Ay 13:26; 21:24; 17:16Nguvu za ujana zilizoijaza mifupa yake,
zitalala naye mavumbini.
1220:12 Ay 15:16; Za 10:7; 140:3“Ingawa uovu ni mtamu kinywani mwake
naye huuficha chini ya ulimi wake,
1320:13 Hes 11:18-20ingawa hawezi kukubali kuuachia uende,
lakini huuweka kinywani mwake.
1420:14 Za 104:26; Ay 10:18; Mwa 1:21; Ay 41:1, 8, 10, 2520:14 Mit 20:17; Yer 2:19; 4:18; Ufu 10:9; Hes 21:6Hata hivyo chakula chake kitakuwa kichungu tumboni mwake,
nacho kitakuwa sumu kali ya nyoka ndani yake.
1520:15 Ay 20:10; Law 18:25Atatema mali alizozimeza;
Mungu atalifanya tumbo lake kuzitapika.
1620:16 Kum 32:24, 34Atanyonya sumu za majoka;
meno ya nyoka mwenye sumu kali yatamuua.
1720:17 Kum 32:13-14; Ay 29:6; Yer 17:6Hatafurahia vijito,
mito inayotiririsha asali na siagi.
1820:18 Ay 20:10; 5:5; Za 109:11Vile alivyovitaabikia atavirudisha bila kuvila;
hatafurahia faida itokanayo na biashara yake.
1920:19 Kum 15:11; Amo 8:4Kwa kuwa aliwaonea maskini na kuwaacha pasipo kitu;
amenyangʼanya kwa nguvu nyumba asizozijenga.
2020:20 Mhu 5:12-14“Hakika hatakuwa na raha katika kutamani kwake sana;
hawezi kujiokoa mwenyewe kwa hazina zake.
2120:21 Ay 7:8Hakuna chochote kitakachosalia kwa ajili yake ili ale;
kufanikiwa kwake hakutadumu.
2220:22 Amu 2:15; Lk 2:16-20; Ay 20:29; 21:17, 30; 31:2-3Katikati ya wingi wa ustawi wake, dhiki itampata;
taabu itamjia kwa nguvu zote.
2320:23 Za 78:30-31Atakapokuwa amelijaza tumbo lake,
Mungu ataionyesha ghadhabu kali dhidi yake,
na kumnyeshea mapigo juu yake.
2420:24 Yer 46:21; Amo 5:19; Isa 24:18Ijapokuwa aikimbia silaha ya chuma,
mshale wa shaba utamchoma.
2520:25 Ay 18:11; 16:13; Za 88:15-16Atauchomoa katika mgongo wake,
ncha ingʼaayo kutoka ini lake.
Vitisho vitakuja juu yake;
2620:26 Ay 5:14; 1:16; 15:34; 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; Za 21:9giza nene linavizia hazina zake.
Moto usiopepewa na mtu utamteketeza,
na kuangamiza yaliyosalia nyumbani mwake.
2720:27 Kum 31:28; Isa 26:21Mbingu zitaweka wazi hatia yake,
nayo nchi itainuka kinyume chake.
2820:28 Kum 28:31; Mt 7:26-27; Hes 14:28-32; Efe 5:6Mafuriko yataichukua nyumba yake,
maji yaendayo kasi katika siku ya ghadhabu ya Mungu.
2920:29 Yer 13:25; Kum 29:20, 28; Ufu 21:8; Mt 24:51Hili ndilo fungu Mungu alilowagawia waovu,
urithi uliowekwa kwa ajili yao na Mungu.”
