< Job 20 >
1 Et Tsophar, le Naamathite, répondit et dit:
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
2 C’est pourquoi mes pensées m’inspirent une réponse, et à cause de ceci l’ardeur de mon esprit [agit] en moi:
"Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3 J’entends une réprimande qui me couvre de honte, et mon esprit me répond par mon intelligence.
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.
4 Sais-tu bien que, de tout temps, depuis que l’homme a été mis sur la terre,
Do you not know this from old time, since humankind was placed on earth,
5 L’exultation des méchants est courte, et la joie de l’impie n’est que pour un moment?
that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Si sa hauteur s’élève jusqu’aux cieux, et que sa tête touche les nuées,
Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
7 Il périra pour toujours comme ses ordures; ceux qui l’ont vu diront: Où est-il?
yet he shall perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him shall say, 'Where is he?'
8 Il s’envole comme un songe, et on ne le trouve pas; il s’enfuit comme une vision de la nuit.
He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found. Yes, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 L’œil l’a regardé et ne l’aperçoit plus, et son lieu ne le revoit plus.
The eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more see him.
10 Ses fils rechercheront la faveur des pauvres, et ses mains restitueront [ce que] sa violence [a ravi].
His children shall seek the favor of the poor. His hands shall give back his wealth.
11 Ses os étaient pleins de sa jeunesse: elle se couchera avec lui sur la poussière.
His bones are full of his youth, but youth shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 Si le mal est doux dans sa bouche, [et] qu’il le cache sous sa langue,
"Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,
13 S’il l’épargne et ne l’abandonne pas, mais qu’il le retienne dans sa bouche,
though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;
14 Son pain sera changé dans ses entrailles en un fiel d’aspic au-dedans de lui.
yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.
15 Il a avalé les richesses, et il les vomira; Dieu les chassera de son ventre.
He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
16 Il sucera le venin des aspics, la langue de la vipère le tuera.
He shall suck cobra venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him.
17 Il ne verra pas des ruisseaux, des rivières, des torrents de miel et de beurre.
He shall not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.
18 Il rendra le fruit de son travail, et ne l’avalera pas; il le restituera selon sa valeur, et ne s’en réjouira pas.
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.
19 Car il a opprimé, délaissé les pauvres; il a pillé une maison qu’il n’avait pas bâtie.
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
20 Parce qu’il n’a pas connu de repos dans son désir, il ne sauvera rien de ce qu’il a de plus cher.
"Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save anything of that in which he delights.
21 Rien n’a échappé à sa voracité: c’est pourquoi son bien-être ne durera pas.
There was nothing left that he did not devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22 Dans la plénitude de son abondance, il sera dans la détresse; toutes les mains des malheureux viendront sur lui.
In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.
23 Il arrivera que, pour remplir son ventre, [Dieu] enverra sur lui l’ardeur de sa colère, et la fera pleuvoir sur lui dans sa chair.
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.
24 S’il fuit devant les armes de fer, un arc d’airain le transpercera.
He shall flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow shall strike him through.
25 Il arrache [la flèche] et elle sort de son corps, et le fer étincelant de son fiel: les terreurs sont sur lui.
He draws it forth, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.
26 Toutes les ténèbres sont réservées pour ses trésors; un feu qu’on ne souffle pas le dévorera, [et] se repaîtra de ce qui reste dans sa tente.
All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
27 Les cieux révéleront son iniquité, et la terre s’élèvera contre lui.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity. The earth shall rise up against him.
28 Le revenu de sa maison sera emporté; il s’écoulera au jour de Sa colère.
The increase of his house shall depart. They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.
29 Telle est, de la part de Dieu, la portion de l’homme méchant, et l’héritage qui lui est assigné par Dieu.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God."