Job 20
1 Tsophar, de Naama, prit la parole et dit:
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
2 C'est pour cela que mes pensées me poussent à répondre, et c'est pour cette raison que j'ai hâte de le faire:
"Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3 J'ai entendu une leçon outrageante, mais l'esprit tire de mon intelligence une réponse.
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.
4 Ne sais-tu pas que, de tout temps, depuis que Dieu a mis l'homme sur la terre,
Do you not know this from old time, since humankind was placed on earth,
5 Le triomphe du méchant est de peu de durée, et la joie de l'impie n'a qu'un moment?
that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Quand son élévation monterait jusqu'aux cieux, et quand sa tête atteindrait les nues,
Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
7 Il périra pour toujours, comme son ordure; ceux qui le voyaient 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'envolera comme un songe, et on ne le trouvera plus; il s'évanouira comme un rêve 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 qui l'a vu ne le verra plus, et son lieu ne l'apercevra plus.
The eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more see him.
10 Ses enfants feront la cour aux pauvres, et ses propres mains restitueront ses biens.
His children shall seek the favor of the poor. His hands shall give back his wealth.
11 Ses os sont pleins de jeunesse, mais elle reposera avec lui dans 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 à sa bouche, s'il le cache sous sa langue,
"Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,
13 S'il le ménage et ne le rejette point, s'il le retient dans son palais,
though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;
14 Sa nourriture se changera dans ses entrailles, et deviendra dans son sein du fiel d'aspic.
yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.
15 Il a englouti des richesses, et il les vomira; Dieu les arrachera 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 du venin d'aspic; la langue de la vipère le tuera.
He shall suck cobra venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him.
17 Il ne verra plus les ruisseaux, les fleuves, les torrents de miel et de lait.
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 restituera à proportion de ce qu'il aura amassé, 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 Parce qu'il a foulé, abandonné le pauvre, pillé la maison au lieu de la bâtir;
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 le repos dans son avidité, il ne sauvera rien de ce qu'il a tant désiré;
"Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save anything of that in which he delights.
21 Rien n'échappait à sa voracité, c'est pourquoi son bonheur ne durera pas.
There was nothing left that he did not devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22 Au comble de l'abondance, il sera dans la gêne; les mains de tous les malheureux se jetteront 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 lui remplir le ventre, Dieu enverra contre lui l'ardeur de sa colère; il la fera pleuvoir sur lui et entrer 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 Il fuira devant les armes de fer, l'arc d'airain le transpercera.
He shall flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow shall strike him through.
25 Il arrachera la flèche, et elle sortira de son corps, et le fer étincelant, de son foie; les frayeurs de la mort viendront 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 calamités sont réservées à ses trésors, un feu qu'on n'aura pas besoin de souffler le dévorera, et ce qui restera dans sa tente sera consumé.
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 découvriront 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. Tout s'écoulera au jour de la colère.
The increase of his house shall depart. They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.
29 Telle est la part que Dieu réserve à l'homme méchant, tel est l'héritage que Dieu lui assigne.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God."
