Job 20
1 Tsophar de Naama prit la parole et dit:
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
2 Mes pensées me forcent à répondre, Et mon agitation ne peut se contenir.
“Therefore my thoughts answer me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3 J’ai entendu des reproches qui m’outragent; Le souffle de mon intelligence donnera la réplique.
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 l’homme a été placé sur la terre,
Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,
5 Le triomphe des méchants a été court, Et la joie de l’impie momentanée?
that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Quand il s’élèverait jusqu’aux cieux, Et que sa tête toucherait aux nues,
Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
7 Il périra pour toujours comme son ordure, Et ceux qui le voyaient diront: Où est-il?
yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 Il s’envolera comme un songe, et on ne le trouvera plus; Il disparaîtra comme une vision nocturne;
He will fly away as a dream, and will not be found. Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 L’œil qui le regardait ne le regardera plus, Le lieu qu’il habitait ne l’apercevra plus.
The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place see him any more.
10 Ses fils seront assaillis par les pauvres, Et ses mains restitueront ce qu’il a pris par violence.
His children will seek the favour of the poor. His hands will give back his wealth.
11 La vigueur de la jeunesse, qui remplissait ses membres, Aura sa couche avec lui dans la poussière.
His bones are full of his youth, but youth will lie down with him in the dust.
12 Le mal était doux à sa bouche, Il le cachait sous sa langue,
“Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,
13 Il le savourait sans l’abandonner, Il le retenait au milieu de son palais;
though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth,
14 Mais sa nourriture se transformera dans ses entrailles, Elle deviendra dans son corps un venin d’aspic.
yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.
15 Il a englouti des richesses, il les vomira; Dieu les chassera de son ventre.
He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
16 Il a sucé du venin d’aspic, La langue de la vipère le tuera.
He will suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue will kill him.
17 Il ne reposera plus ses regards sur les ruisseaux, Sur les torrents, sur les fleuves de miel et de lait.
He will not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.
18 Il rendra ce qu’il a gagné, et n’en profitera plus; Il restituera tout ce qu’il a pris, et n’en jouira plus.
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.
19 Car il a opprimé, délaissé les pauvres, Il a ruiné des maisons et ne les a pas rétablies.
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.
20 Son avidité n’a point connu de bornes; Mais il ne sauvera pas ce qu’il avait de plus cher.
“Because he knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights.
21 Rien n’échappait à sa voracité; Mais son bien-être ne durera pas.
There was nothing left that he didn’t devour, therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 Au milieu de l’abondance il sera dans la détresse; La main de tous les misérables se lèvera sur lui.
In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.
23 Et voici, pour lui remplir le ventre, Dieu enverra sur lui le feu de sa colère, Et le rassasiera par une pluie de traits.
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.
24 S’il échappe aux armes de fer, L’arc d’airain le transpercera.
He will flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow will strike him through.
25 Il arrache de son corps le trait, Qui étincelle au sortir de ses entrailles, Et il est en proie aux terreurs de la mort.
He draws it out, 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; Il sera consumé par un feu que n’allumera point l’homme, Et ce qui restera dans sa tente en deviendra la pâture.
All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire will devour him. It will consume that which is left in his tent.
27 Les cieux dévoileront son iniquité, Et la terre s’élèvera contre lui.
The heavens will reveal his iniquity. The earth will rise up against him.
28 Les revenus de sa maison seront emportés, Ils disparaîtront au jour de la colère de Dieu.
The increase of his house will depart. They will rush away in the day of his wrath.
29 Telle est la part que Dieu réserve au méchant, Tel est l’héritage que Dieu lui destine.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”
