Zophar's First Speech
So Much Foolish Talk
1 Zophar from Naamah said:
2 So much foolish talk
cannot go unanswered.
3 Your words have silenced others
and made them ashamed;
now it is only right for you
to be put to shame.
4 You claim to be innocent
and argue that your beliefs
are acceptable to God.
5 But I wish God would speak
6 and let you know that wisdom
has many different sides.
You would then discover
that God has punished you
less than you deserve.
7 Can you understand the mysteries
surrounding God All-Powerful?
8 They are higher than the heavens
and deeper than the grave.
So what can you do
when you know so little,
9 and these mysteries outreach
the earth and the ocean?
10 If God puts you in prison
or drags you to court,
what can you do?
11 God has the wisdom to know
when someone is worthless
and sinful,
12 but it's easier to tame
a wild donkey
than to make a fool wise.
Surrender Your Heart to God
13 Surrender your heart to God,
turn to him in prayer,
14 and give up your sins—
even those you do in secret.
15 Then you won't be ashamed;
you will be confident
and fearless.
16 Your troubles will go away
like water beneath a bridge,
17 and your darkest night
will be brighter than noon.
18 You will rest safe and secure,
filled with hope
and emptied of worry.
19 You will sleep without fear
and be greatly respected.
20 But those who are evil
will go blind and lose their way.
Their only escape is death!
1 Ob ge Sofari Namatǁîba ge ǃeream:
2 “O di kha nē ǂgui mîdi âtsa ǃereamhe tide?
Ob kha nē kai ǃhoa-aoba xare nî ǂhanu-ai kaihe?
3 Sa harebeoǃnâ ǃhoaxūna kha xare khoena nî ǃnō kai?
Sa ǃhōǃhoan ǃaroman kha khoena taotao tsi tide?
4 Nētits ra mîs ǀkha: ‘Ti ûib ge a ǂnao-o,
tsî ta ge sa aiǃâ a ǃanu.’
5 Ae, Elob ga ǃhoa hâ,
tsî sa ǃoagu ǁîb di amǁgaukha khowa hâo,
6 ob ge ǁîba gā-aisib di ǂganǃgâsiga ga ǂhaiǂhai hâ;
gā-aisib ǂgui ǀkhāga xu a ǁnâuǃāhe ǁkhā xui-ao.
Sats nî ǂans ge, Elob ge sa ǂgui ǁorena xu,
ǀnîn ǀguina ǀûba ǃkhaisa.
7 “Elob ǂganǃgâsiba xare ǂanǂui ǁkhāts a?
Hoaǀgaixab di kaisiba xare ǂanǂui ǁkhāts a?
8 Gā-aisib âb ge ǀhomma ra īǂam,
tsîts a sīǃnâ ǁoa.
Gā-aisib âb ge ǁŌhân Hâǃkhaib xa a ǃgam,
tsîts a sīǃnâ ǁoa.
9 Elob kaisib ge ǃhūbaib harasiba ra īǂam,
tsî hurib di ǂhabasib xa a kai.
10 Elob ga ǃkharugaruse khoe-e ǃkhōsis ǃnâ ū
tsî ǀgoraǃgâǃkhaib tawa sī-ū,
o tari-e ǁîba a mâǃoa ǁkhā?
11 Elob ge ǀhôagao khoena a ǂan;
ǁîb ge ǁîn ǁoren hoana ra mû.
12 Xawe gâre khoe-i ge ǃgarodâukis di ôa-i
ga khoese ǃnae, o ǀgui ǁnâuǃāba ra hō.
13 “Xawets ga sa ǂgaoba Eloba mā
tsî ǀgores ǃnâ sa ǃomkha ǁîb ǃoa ūkhâi;
14 sa ǃomkha di ǁorenats ga dībē
tsî ǁoren ǃaruǀî nî ǀuriǀuri tsisa mā-am tama i,
15 ots ge tao-i ose sa danasa ūkhâi
tsî ǃao-i ose ǃgom-i hoa-i ǃnâ ǂgâ ǁkhā.
16 Sa ǃgomsigu hoaga ǀuru
tsîts ge dâuǃkharu ge ǁgam-i ase ǁîgu xa nî ǂâi.
17 Sa ûib ge tsēǃgâǁaeb di ǃnâb ǂamai nî ǃgāsa;
ǃkhaesib hîa hâb ge ǁgoasores khami nî ǃgāsa.
18 ǂGomǃgâbats nî ūhâ, ǃâubasens hâ xui-ao;
ǁkhaubahe tsîts ǃnorasase nî sâ.
19 ǁGoets ga sī, xawets xū-i xare-e ǃao tide;
tsî ǂgui khoen ge sa huiba nî ôa.
20 Xawe eloxoresan mûdi ge ǃaruǀî mû tide
tsî ǁîn nî ǃkhoeni ǀgau-i xare-i ge nî ǀkhai.
Hūs di ǃâubasens ǁîn dis ge, ǁōb di hāsa.”
