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.”
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.”
