Job 20
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
Alors Sophar de Naama prit la parole et dit:
2 "Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.
C’est pourquoi mes pensées me suggèrent une réponse, et, à cause de mon agitation, j’ai hâte de la donner.
3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.
J’ai entendu des reproches qui m’outragent; dans mon intelligence, mon esprit trouvera la réplique.
4 Do you not know this from old time, since humankind was placed on earth,
Sais-tu bien que, de tout temps, depuis que l’homme a été placé sur la terre,
5 that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
le triomphe des méchants a été court, et la joie de l’impie d’un moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
Quand il porterait son orgueil jusqu’au ciel, et que sa tête toucherait aux nues,
7 yet he shall perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him shall say, 'Where is he?'
comme son ordure, il périt pour toujours; ceux qui le voyaient disent: « Où est-il? »
8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found. Yes, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night.
Il s’envole comme un songe, et on ne le trouve plus; il s’efface comme une vision de la nuit.
9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more see him.
L’œil qui le voyait ne le découvre plus; sa demeure ne l’apercevra plus.
10 His children shall seek the favor of the poor. His hands shall give back his wealth.
Ses enfants imploreront les pauvres, de ses propres mains il restituera ses rapines.
11 His bones are full of his youth, but youth shall lie down with him in the dust.
Ses os étaient pleins de ses iniquités cachées; elles dormiront avec lui dans la poussière.
12 "Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,
Parce que le mal a été doux à sa bouche, qu’il l’a caché sous sa langue,
13 though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;
qu’il l’a savouré sans l’abandonner, et l’a retenu au milieu de son palais:
14 yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.
sa nourriture tournera en poison dans ses entrailles, elle deviendra dans son sein le venin de l’aspic.
15 He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
Il a englouti des richesses, il les vomira; Dieu les retirera de son ventre.
16 He shall suck cobra venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him.
Il a sucé le venin de l’aspic, la langue de la vipère le tuera.
17 He shall not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.
Il ne verra jamais couler les fleuves, les torrents de miel et de lait.
18 That for which he labored he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down. According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.
Il rendra ce qu’il a gagné et ne s’en gorgera pas, dans la mesure de ses profits, et il n’en jouira pas.
19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
Car il a opprimé et délaissé les pauvres, il a saccagé leur maison, et ne l’a pas rétablie:
20 "Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save anything of that in which he delights.
son avidité n’a pu être rassasiée, il n’emportera pas ce qu’il a de plus cher.
21 There was nothing left that he did not devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
Rien n’échappait à sa voracité; aussi son bonheur ne subsistera pas.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.
Au sein de l’abondance, il tombe dans la disette; tous les coups du malheur viennent sur lui.
23 When he is about to fill his belly, he will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.
Voici pour lui remplir le ventre: Dieu enverra sur lui le feu de sa colère, elle pleuvra sur lui jusqu’en ses entrailles.
24 He shall flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow shall strike him through.
S’il échappe aux armes de fer, l’arc d’airain le transperce.
25 He draws it forth, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.
Il arrache le trait, il sort de son corps, l’acier sort étincelant de son foie; les terreurs de la mort tombent sur lui.
26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
Une nuit profonde engloutit ses trésors; un feu que l’homme n’a pas allumé le dévore, et consume tout ce qui restait dans sa tente.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity. The earth shall rise up against him.
Les cieux révéleront son iniquité, et la terre s’élèvera contre lui.
28 The increase of his house shall depart. They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.
L’abondance de sa maison sera dispersée, elle disparaîtra au jour de la colère.
29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God."
Telle est la part que Dieu réserve au méchant, et l’héritage que lui destine Dieu.
