Job 20
1 Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,
Alors Sophar de Naama prit la parole et dit:
2 I did not suppose that you would answer thus: neither do you understand more than I.
C’est pourquoi mes pensées me suggèrent une réponse, et, à cause de mon agitation, j’ai hâte de la donner.
3 I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.
J’ai entendu des reproches qui m’outragent; dans mon intelligence, mon esprit trouvera la réplique.
4 Hast you [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?
Sais-tu bien que, de tout temps, depuis que l’homme a été placé sur la terre,
5 But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:
le triomphe des méchants a été court, et la joie de l’impie d’un moment?
6 although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.
Quand il porterait son orgueil jusqu’au ciel, et que sa tête toucherait aux nues,
7 For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?
comme son ordure, il périt pour toujours; ceux qui le voyaient disent: « Où est-il? »
8 Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled 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 has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.
L’œil qui le voyait ne le découvre plus; sa demeure ne l’apercevra plus.
10 Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.
Ses enfants imploreront les pauvres, de ses propres mains il restituera ses rapines.
11 His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it 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 evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will 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 will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:
qu’il l’a savouré sans l’abandonner, et l’a retenu au milieu de son palais:
14 yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.
sa nourriture tournera en poison dans ses entrailles, elle deviendra dans son sein le venin de l’aspic.
15 [His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of wrath] shall drag him out of his house.
Il a englouti des richesses, il les vomira; Dieu les retirera de son ventre.
16 And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent's tongue kill him.
Il a sucé le venin de l’aspic, la langue de la vipère le tuera.
17 Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.
Il ne verra jamais couler les fleuves, les torrents de miel et de lait.
18 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.
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 broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.
Car il a opprimé et délaissé les pauvres, il a saccagé leur maison, et ne l’a pas rétablie:
20 There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.
son avidité n’a pu être rassasiée, il n’emportera pas ce qu’il a de plus cher.
21 There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.
Rien n’échappait à sa voracité; aussi son bonheur ne subsistera pas.
22 But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.
Au sein de l’abondance, il tombe dans la disette; tous les coups du malheur viennent sur lui.
23 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.
Voici pour lui remplir le ventre: Dieu enverra sur lui le feu de sa colère, elle pleuvra sur lui jusqu’en ses entrailles.
24 And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.
S’il échappe aux armes de fer, l’arc d’airain le transperce.
25 And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon 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 And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.
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 And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.
Les cieux révéleront son iniquité, et la terre s’élèvera contre lui.
28 Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.
L’abondance de sa maison sera dispersée, elle disparaîtra au jour de la colère.
29 This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].
Telle est la part que Dieu réserve au méchant, et l’héritage que lui destine Dieu.
