< Job 20 >

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
Et Zophar de Naama répondit et dit:
2 “Therefore my thoughts answer me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.
Mes pensées vont, et pour cause, me fournir la réplique; aussi j'ai hâte de la faire:
3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.
j'ai dû entendre une leçon qui m'outrage! mais l'esprit selon mes lumières répondra pour moi.
4 Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,
Ne sais-tu pas que, de tout temps, depuis que l'homme fut placé sur la terre,
5 that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
la joie des impies est de courte durée, et l'allégresse des profanes n'a qu'un instant?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
Que sa grandeur s'élève jusques aux Cieux, et que sa tête touche aux nues,
7 yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
pour toujours il périt comme les excréments; ceux qui l'ont vu, demandent: Où est-il?
8 He will fly away as a dream, and will not be found. Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
Il s'envole comme un songe, et on ne le retrouve pas; il a fui comme une vision nocturne;
9 The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place see him any more.
l'œil qui l'a vu, ne l'aperçoit plus, et sa demeure ne le reverra pas.
10 His children will seek the favour of the poor. His hands will give back his wealth.
Les indigents accablent ses fils dont les mains doivent restituer ses biens,
11 His bones are full of his youth, but youth will lie down with him in the dust.
Ses os surabondaient d'une vigueur juvénile, et sur la poussière elle gît avec lui.
12 “Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,
Quelque douceur que sa bouche trouve au mal, qu'il le tienne en réserve sous sa langue,
13 though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth,
le savourant lentement, sans le laisser aller, mais le retenant collé à son palais,
14 yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.
cet aliment qu'il prend, se transforme dans ses entrailles, et devient au dedans de lui un venin d'aspic,
15 He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
Il engloutit des richesses, et il les revomit; de son ventre Dieu les fait ressortir,
16 He will suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue will kill him.
il suce le venin de l'aspic, et la langue de la vipère le tue.
17 He will not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.
Son regard n'est plus réjoui par les ruisseaux, ni par les fleuves, les torrents de miel et de lait.
18 He will restore that for which he laboured, and will not swallow it down. He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.
Il restitue ses gains, et ne les consomme pas: autant il possède, autant il restitue, et il ne peut se réjouir.
19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.
Car il écrasa, délaissa les pauvres, il ravit des maisons, et ne les releva pas;
20 “Because he knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights.
car il ne connut pas le repos dans son sein. Mais il ne se sauvera pas avec ce qu'il a de plus cher,
21 There was nothing left that he didn’t devour, therefore his prosperity will not endure.
Rien n'échappe à sa voracité, c'est pourquoi son bien-être ne dure pas.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.
Dans la plénitude de l'abondance, il est mis à la gêne; les bras des opprimés fondent sur lui.
23 When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.
Voici Celui qui assouvira son avidité: Il enverra sur lui le feu de Sa colère, et fera pleuvoir sur lui Son pain de douleur;
24 He will flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow will strike him through.
s'il fuit devant l'armure de fer, l'arc d'airain le transperce.
25 He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.
Il extrait le dard de son corps avec le fer brillant qui lui a percé le foie; c'en est fait: il est sous les terreurs de la mort.
26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire will devour him. It will consume that which is left in his tent.
Toutes les misères lui sont réservées en échange de ce qu'il a mis en réserve; un feu qu'on n'a pas à souffler, le dévore, et consume ce qui resterait dans sa tente.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity. The earth will rise up against him.
Le ciel dévoile son crime, et la terre s'élève contre lui.
28 The increase of his house will depart. They will rush away in the day of his wrath.
Tout le revenu de sa maison s'en va, s'écoulant au jour de Sa 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 donne à l'impie, et le lot que le Seigneur lui décerne.

< Job 20 >