Zophar's Second Speech
Your Words Are Disturbing
1 Zophar from Naamah said:
2 Your words are disturbing;
now I must speak.
3 You have accused
and insulted me,
and reason requires a reply.
4 Since the time of creation,
everyone has known
5 that sinful people are happy
for only a while.
6 Though their pride and power
may reach to the sky,
7 they will disappear like dust,
and those who knew them
will wonder what happened.
8 They will be forgotten
like a dream
9 and vanish from the sight
of family and friends.
10 Their children will have to repay
what the parents took
from the poor.
11 Indeed, the wicked will die
and go to their graves
in the prime of life.
Sinners Love the Taste of Sin
12 Sinners love the taste of sin;
they relish every bite
13 and swallow it slowly.
14 But their food will turn sour
and poison their stomachs.
15 Then God will make them lose
the wealth they gobbled up.
16 They will die from the fangs
of poisonous snakes
17 and never enjoy rivers flowing
with milk and honey.
18 Their hard work will result
in nothing gained,
19 because they cheated the poor
and took their homes.
20 Greedy people want everything
and are never satisfied.
21 But when nothing remains
for them to grab,
they will be nothing.
22 Once they have everything,
distress and despair
will strike them down,
23 and God will make them swallow
his blazing anger.
24 While running from iron spears,
they will be killed
by arrows of bronze,
25 whose shining tips go straight
through their bodies.
They will be trapped by terror,
26 and what they treasure most
will be lost in the dark.
God will send flames
to destroy them in their tents
with all their property.
27 The heavens and the earth
will testify against them,
28 and all their possessions
will be dragged off
when God becomes angry.
29 This is what God has decided
for those who are evil.
Cofars: bezdievju prieki ir īsi
1 Cofars no Naamas viņam atbildēja, sacīdams:
2 “Patiesi, manas bažas liek man atbildēt
nemiera dēļ, kas manī.
3 Rājienu dzirdu, kas mani aizvaino!
Mans gudrības gars palīdzēs atbildēt.
4 Vai nezini – kopš laikiem ir tā,
kopš cilvēks likts virs zemes,
5 ka ļaundaru gaviles tik tepat,
ka bezgoža līksmība tikai mirkli!
6 Kaut viņa dižums līdz debesīm sniedz
un viņa galva mākoņus skar,
7 kā paša mēsls uz mūžiem tas zudīs,
kas viņu pazinis, teiks: kur šis ir?
8 Kā sapnis tas aizlidos – to neatradīs,
kā nakts rēgs tas izgaisīs!
9 Acs, kas to redzēja, to vairs neskatīs,
viņa mājvieta to vairs neredzēs.
10 Nabagiem glaimos viņa dēli,
paša rokām tam manta būs jāatdod!
11 Vēl jaunības spēka pilni tam kauli,
bet līdz ar viņu tas pīšļos aizies.
12 Kaut salda viņa mutē negantība,
kaut viņš bēdzina to zem mēles,
13 sargā un neatdod,
glabā to savā mutē,
14 maize tam iekšās pārvērtīsies –
par čūsku žulti tā kļūs viņa miesās!
15 Cik mantas šis norijis, tikpat izvems, –
no viņa vēdera izraus to Dievs,
16 čūsku indi viņš zīdīs,
nonāvēs viņu odzes mēle,
17 neieraudzīs viņš straumes –
upes un strautus, kur medus un krējums!
18 Ko guvis, to atdos, – vis neaprīs,
mantu, ko iemainījis, vis nebaudīs,
19 jo viņš apspieda, atstūma nabagos,
namu sev ņēma, ko nav cēlis,
20 viņa vēders nezināja miera,
no viņa kārības nekur tverties.
21 Nekas neglābās no viņa rijības –
tādēļ nepaliks viņam labums!
22 Kad visa papilnam, jau ciešanas klāt –
grūtdieņu rokas stiepjas pēc viņa!
23 Lai pilns tiek tam vēders,
viņš tam uzsūtīs savu dusmu svelmi –
kā lietu to izlies viņa iekšās!
24 No dzelzs asmens tas bēg,
vara loks to ķer:
25 izvelk tam, no muguras iznāk,
šautra tam no aknām iznāk!
Briesmas pār viņu!
26 Tumsa gaida uz viņa mantu,
neviena nekurta uguns to aprīs,
kas paliks viņa teltī – tas izkūpēs!
27 Debesis atklās viņa vainu,
un zeme sacelsies pret to,
28 zudīs, kas iekrāts tā namā, –
viņš aizrauts viņa dusmu dienā.
29 Tāds ļaundara guvums no Dieva –
mantojums, kuru tam lēmis Dievs!”
