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.”
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.”
