1Then answered Tzofar HaNa’amati, and said,
2“Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of my agitation that is in me.
3I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame, but out of my understanding my spirit answers me.
4Do you not know this of old time, since man was placed upon earth,
5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6Though his excellency mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches unto the clouds;
7Yet he shall perish forever like his own dung; they that have seen him shall say, ‘Where is he?’
8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found; yes, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9The eye which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
10His children shall appease the poor, and his hands shall restore his wealth.
11His bones are full of his youth, but it shall lie down with him in the dust.
12Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue;
13Though he spares it, and will not let it go, but keeps it still within his mouth;
14Yet his food in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
15He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God shall cast them out of his belly.
16He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper’s tongue shall slay him.
17He shall not look upon the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and curd.
18That which he labored for shall he give back, and shall not swallow it down; according to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.
19For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
20Because he knew no quietness within him, in his greed he suffered nought to escape,
21There was nothing left that he devoured not, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; the hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.
23It shall be for the filling of his belly; He shall cast the fierceness of His wrath upon him, and shall cause it to rain upon him into his flesh.
24If he flees from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25He draws it forth, and it comes out of his body; yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall; terrors are upon him.
26All darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not blown by man shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tent.
27The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.
28The increase of his house shall depart, his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29This is the portion of a wicked man from Elohim, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.”
אוַיַּעַן צֹפַר הַנַּעֲמָתִי; וַיֹּאמַר,
בלָכֵן שְׂעִפַּי יְשִׁיבוּנִי; וּבַעֲבוּר חוּשִׁי בִי.
גמוּסַר כְּלִמָּתִי אֶשְׁמָע; וְרוּחַ מִבִּינָתִי יַעֲנֵנִי.
דהֲזֹאת יָדַעְתָּ מִנִּי עַד; מִנִּי שִׂים אָדָם עֲלֵי אָרֶץ.
הכִּי רִנְנַת רְשָׁעִים מִקָּרוֹב; וְשִׂמְחַת חָנֵף עֲדֵי רָגַע.
ואִם יַעֲלֶה לַשָּׁמַיִם שִׂיאוֹ; וְרֹאשׁוֹ לָעָב יַגִּיעַ.
זכְּגֶלְלוֹ לָנֶצַח יֹאבֵד; רֹאָיו יֹאמְרוּ אַיּוֹ.
חכַּחֲלוֹם יָעוּף וְלֹא יִמְצָאֻהוּ; וְיֻדַּד כְּחֶזְיוֹן לָיְלָה.
טעַיִן שְׁזָפַתּוּ וְלֹא תוֹסִיף; וְלֹא עוֹד תְּשׁוּרֶנּוּ מְקוֹמוֹ.
יבָּנָיו יְרַצּוּ דַלִּים; וְיָדָיו תָּשֵׁבְנָה אוֹנוֹ.
יאעַצְמוֹתָיו מָלְאוּ עֲלוּמָו; וְעִמּוֹ עַל עָפָר תִּשְׁכָּב.
יבאִם תַּמְתִּיק בְּפִיו רָעָה יַכְחִידֶנָּה תַּחַת לְשֹׁנוֹ.
יגיַחְמֹל עָלֶיהָ וְלֹא יַעַזְבֶנָּה; וְיִמְנָעֶנָּה בְּתוֹךְ חִכּוֹ.
ידלַחְמוֹ בְּמֵעָיו נֶהְפָּךְ; מְרוֹרַת פְּתָנִים בְּקִרְבּוֹ.
טוחַיִל בָּלַע וַיְקִאֶנּוּ; מִבִּטְנוֹ יֹרִשֶׁנּוּ אֵל.
טזרֹאשׁ פְּתָנִים יִינָק; תַּהַרְגֵהוּ לְשׁוֹן אֶפְעֶה.
יזאַל יֵרֶא בִפְלַגּוֹת נַהֲרֵי נַחֲלֵי דְּבַשׁ וְחֶמְאָה.
יחמֵשִׁיב יָגָע וְלֹא יִבְלָע; כְּחֵיל תְּמוּרָתוֹ וְלֹא יַעֲלֹס.
יטכִּי רִצַּץ עָזַב דַּלִּים; בַּיִת גָּזַל וְלֹא יִבְנֵהוּ.
ככִּי לֹא יָדַע שָׁלֵו בְּבִטְנוֹ; בַּחֲמוּדוֹ לֹא יְמַלֵּט.
כאאֵין שָׂרִיד לְאָכְלוֹ; עַל כֵּן לֹא יָחִיל טוּבוֹ.
כבבִּמְלֹאות שִׂפְקוֹ יֵצֶר לוֹ; כָּל יַד עָמֵל תְּבֹאֶנּוּ.
כגיְהִי לְמַלֵּא בִטְנוֹ יְשַׁלַּח בּוֹ חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ; וְיַמְטֵר עָלֵימוֹ בִּלְחוּמוֹ.
כדיִבְרַח מִנֵּשֶׁק בַּרְזֶל; תַּחְלְפֵהוּ קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה.
כהשָׁלַף וַיֵּצֵא מִגֵּוָה: וּבָרָק מִמְּרֹרָתוֹ יַהֲלֹךְ; עָלָיו אֵמִים.
כוכָּל חֹשֶׁךְ טָמוּן לִצְפּוּנָיו: תְּאָכְלֵהוּ אֵשׁ לֹא נֻפָּח; יֵרַע שָׂרִיד בְּאָהֳלוֹ.
כזיְגַלּוּ שָׁמַיִם עֲוֹנוֹ; וְאֶרֶץ מִתְקוֹמָמָה לוֹ.
כחיִגֶל יְבוּל בֵּיתוֹ; נִגָּרוֹת בְּיוֹם אַפּוֹ.
כטזֶה חֵלֶק אָדָם רָשָׁע מֵאֱלֹהִים; וְנַחֲלַת אִמְרוֹ מֵאֵל.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 