1Then Tsophar the Na‛amathite answered and said,

2“Truly, my thoughts make me respond, even because of my haste within me.

3I have listened to the reproof which insults me, and the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

4You have known this of old, since man was placed on earth,

5that the singing of the wrong is short-lived, and the joy of the defiled one is but for a moment?

6Although his pride mounts up to the heavens, and his head does reach to the clouds,

7he perishes forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him say, ‘Where is he?’

8He flies away like a dream, and is not found. And he is driven away like a vision of the night.

9Eyes that saw him do so no more, nor does his place see him any more.

10His sons seek the favour of the poor, and his hands give back his wealth.

11His bones shall be filled with his youth, but it lies down with him in the dust.

12Though evil is sweet in his mouth, he hides it under his tongue,

13though he fondles it and does not forsake it, but still keeps it in his mouth,

14his food is turned in his stomach, the bitterness of cobras is in him.

15He has swallowed down riches, then vomits them up – Ěl drives it out of his stomach.

16He sucks the poison of cobras; the tongue of the poisonous snake slays him.

17He looks not on streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.

18He is giving back what he laboured for, and does not eat it – like wealth from his trade, but he does not enjoy.

19For he has oppressed, he has forsaken the poor, he has seized a house which he did not build.

20For he shall not know ease in his innermost, neither save what he desires.

21There is no left-over after he has eaten, therefore his good does not last.

22With all his plenty he is in distress; the hand of every labourer comes against him.

23It shall be, at the filling of his stomach, that He casts on him His burning wrath, and rains it down on him while he is eating.

24He shall flee from the iron weapon, a bronze bow pierce him through.

25It is drawn, and comes out of the body, and the gleaming point comes out of his gall. Fears come upon him.

26All darkness waits for his treasures. A fire not blown consumes him, it destroys what remains in his tent.

27The heavens reveal his crookedness, and the earth rises up against him.

28The increase of his house departs, flowing away in the day of His wrath.

29This is the portion from Elohim for a wrong man, and the heritage Ěl has decreed for him.”