Jobs 20
1 Da tok Sofar fra Na'ama til orde og sa:
Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,
2 Derfor legger mine tanker mig svaret i munnen, og derfor stormer det i mig;
For this cause my thoughts are troubling me and driving me on.
3 hånende tilrettevisning må jeg høre, og min ånd gir mig svar ut fra min innsikt.
I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.
4 Vet du da ikke at slik har det vært fra evighet, fra den tid mennesker blev satt på jorden,
Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,
5 at de ugudeliges jubel er kort, og den gudløses glede bare varer et øieblikk?
That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?
6 Stiger enn hans stolthet til himmelen, og når enn hans hode til skyen,
Though he is lifted up to the heavens, and his head goes up to the clouds;
7 så går han dog likesom sitt skarn til grunne for evig; de som så ham, spør: Hvor er han?
Like the waste from his body he comes to an end for ever: those who have seen him say, Where is he?
8 Som en drøm flyr han bort, og ingen finner ham mere; han jages bort som et nattesyn.
He is gone like a dream, and is not seen again; he goes in flight like a vision of the night.
9 Det øie som så ham, ser ham ikke mere, og hans sted skuer ham ikke lenger.
The eye which saw him sees him no longer; and his place has no more knowledge of him.
10 Hans barn må søke småfolks yndest, og hans hender må gi hans gods tilbake.
His children are hoping that the poor will be kind to them, and his hands give back his wealth.
11 Hans ben var fulle av ungdomskraft, men nu ligger den med ham i støvet.
His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.
12 Smaker enn det onde søtt i hans munn, skjuler han det under sin tunge,
Though evil-doing is sweet in his mouth, and he keeps it secretly under his tongue;
13 sparer han på det og slipper det ikke, men holder det tilbake under sin gane,
Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;
14 så blir dog hans mat omskapt i hans innvoller og blir til ormegift i hans liv.
His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.
15 Han slukte gods, og han må spy det ut igjen; Gud driver det ut av hans buk.
He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God.
16 Ormegift må han innsuge; huggormens tunge dreper ham.
He takes the poison of snakes into his mouth, the tongue of the snake is the cause of his death.
17 Han skal ikke få se bekker, elver av honning og elver av melk.
Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.
18 Han må gi tilbake det han har tjent, og får ikke nyte det; meget gods har han vunnet, men han får liten glede av det.
He is forced to give back the fruit of his work, and may not take it for food; he has no joy in the profit of his trading.
19 For han knuste småfolk og lot dem ligge der; han rante hus til sig, men får ikke bygge dem om;
Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;
20 han kjente aldri ro i sitt indre; han skal ikke slippe unda med sine skatter.
There is no peace for him in his wealth, and no salvation for him in those things in which he took delight.
21 Det var intet som undgikk hans grådighet; derfor varer ikke hans lykke.
He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.
22 Midt i hans rikdom blir det trangt for ham; hver nødlidende vender sin hånd mot ham.
Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.
23 For å fylle hans buk sender Gud sin brennende vrede mot ham og lar sin mat regne på ham.
God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.
24 Flykter han for våben av jern, så gjennemborer en bue av kobber ham.
He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;
25 Når han så drar pilen ut av sin rygg, og den lynende odd kommer frem av hans galle, da faller dødsredsler over ham.
He is pulling it out, and it comes out of his back; and its shining point comes out of his side; he is overcome by fears.
26 Alt mørke er opspart for hans vel gjemte skatter; en ild som intet menneske puster til, fortærer ham; den eter det som er igjen i hans telt.
All his wealth is stored up for the dark: a fire not made by man sends destruction on him, and on everything in his tent.
27 Himmelen åpenbarer hans misgjerning, og jorden reiser sig mot ham.
The heavens make clear his sin, and the earth gives witness against him.
28 Det han har samlet i sitt hus, føres bort, det skylles bort på Guds vredes dag.
The produce of his house is taken away into another country, like things given into the hands of others in the day of wrath.
29 Dette er den lodd som et ugudelig menneske får av Gud, den arv som er tilkjent ham av den Allmektige.
This is the reward of the evil man, and the heritage given to him by God.
