Job 20

1 Saa tog Na'amatiten Zofar til Orde og sagde:

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 Derfor bruser Tankerne i mig, og derfor stormer det i mig;

I did not suppose that you would answer thus: neither do you understand more than I.

3 til min Skam maa jeg høre paa Tugt, faar tankeløst Mundsvejr til Svar!

I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.

4 Ved du da ikke fra Arilds Tid, fra Tiden, da Mennesket sattes paa Jorden,

Hast you [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?

5 at gudløses Jubel er kort og vanhelliges Glæde stakket?

But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:

6 Steg end hans Hovmod til Himlen, raged hans Hoved i Sky,

although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.

7 som sit Skarn forgaar han for evigt, de, der saa ham, siger: »Hvor er han?«

For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?

8 Han flyr som en Drøm, man finder ham ikke, som et Nattesyn jages han bort;

Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.

9 Øjet, der saa ham, ser ham ej mer, hans Sted faar ham aldrig at se igen.

The eye has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.

10 Hans Sønner bejler til ringes Yndest, hans Hænder maa give hans Gods tilbage.

Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.

11 Hans Ben var fulde af Ungdomskraft, men den lægger sig med ham i Støvet.

His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 Er det onde end sødt i hans Mund, naar han gemmer det under sin Tunge,

Though evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will hide it under his tongue;

13 sparer paa det og slipper det ikke, holder det fast til sin Gane,

though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:

14 saa bliver dog Maden i hans Indre til Slangegift inden i ham;

yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.

15 Godset, han slugte, maa han spy ud, Gud driver det ud af hans Bug,

[His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of wrath] shall drag him out of his house.

16 han indsuger Slangernes Gift, og Øgleungen slaar ham ihjel;

And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent's tongue kill him.

17 han skuer ej Strømme af Olie, Bække af Honning og Fløde;

Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.

18 han maa af med sin Vinding, svælger den ej, faar ingen Glæde af tilbyttet Gods.

He has laboured unprofitably and in vain, [for] wealth of which he shall not taste: [it is] as a lean thing, unfit for food, which he can’t swallow.

19 Thi han knuste de ringe og lod dem ligge, ranede Huse, han ej havde bygget.

For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.

20 Thi han har ingen Hjælp af sin Rigdom, trods sine Skatte reddes han ikke;

There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.

21 ingen gik fri for hans Glubskhed, derfor varer hans Lykke ikke;

There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.

22 midt i sin Overflod har han det trangt, al Slags Nød kommer over ham.

But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.

23 For at fylde hans Bug sender Gud sin Vredes Glød imod ham, lader sin Harme regne paa ham.

If by any means he would fill his belly, let [God] send upon him the fury of wrath; let him bring a torrent of pains upon him.

24 Flyr han for Brynje af Jern, saa gennemborer ham Kobberbuen;

And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.

25 en Kniv kommer ud af hans Ryg, et lynende Staal af hans Galde; over ham falder Rædsler,

And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon him.

26 idel Mørke er opsparet til ham; Ild, der ej blæses op, fortærer ham, æder Levningen i hans Telt.

And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.

27 Himlen bringer hans Brøde for Lyset, og Jorden rejser sig mod ham.

And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.

28 Hans Huses Vinding maa bort, rives bort paa Guds Vredes Dag.

Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.

29 Slig er den gudløses Lod fra Gud og Lønnen fra Gud for hans Brøde!

This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].