| 1 Honra al médico por los servicios que presta, | que también a él lo creó el Señor. | 1 Honor the physician because of necessity, and because the Most High created him. |
| 2 Del Altísimo viene la curación, | y del rey se reciben las dádivas. | 2 For all healing is from God, and so he will receive gifts from the King. |
| 3 La ciencia del médico le hace erguir la cabeza, | y es admirado por los poderosos. | 3 The expertise of the physician will lift up his head, and in the sight of great men, he will be praised. |
| 4 El Señor hace que la tierra produzca remedios, | y el hombre prudente no los desprecia. | 4 The Most High has created medicines from the earth, and a prudent man will not abhor them. |
| 5 ¿Acaso no endulzó el agua con un leño, | para que se conociera su poder? | 5 Was not bitter water made sweet with wood? |
| 6 Él es quien da la ciencia a los humanos, | para que lo glorifiquen por sus maravillas. | 6 The benefits of these things is recognized by men, and the Most High has given this knowledge to men, so that he may be honored in his wonders. |
| 7 Con sus medios el médico cura y elimina el sufrimiento, | con ellos el farmacéutico prepara sus mezclas. | 7 By these things, he will cure or mitigate their suffering, and the pharmacist will make soothing ointments, and he will form healing medicines, and there will be no end to his works. |
| 8 Y así nunca se acaban las obras del Señor, | de él procede el bienestar sobre toda la tierra. | 8 For the peace of God is upon the surface of the earth. |
| 9 Hijo, en tu enfermedad, no te desanimes, | sino ruega al Señor, que él te curará. | 9 Son, in your infirmity, you should not neglect yourself, but pray to the Lord, and he will cure you. |
| 10 Aparta tus faltas, corrige tus acciones | y purifica tu corazón de todo pecado. | 10 Turn away from sin, and direct your hands, and cleanse your heart from every offense. |
| 11 Ofrece incienso, un memorial de flor de harina | y ofrendas generosas según tus medios. | 11 Give a sweet offering, and a memorial of fine flour, and fatten your oblation, but also give a place to the physician. |
| 12 Luego recurre al médico, pues también a él lo creó el Señor; | que no se aparte de tu lado, pues lo necesitas: | 12 For the Lord created him. And so, do not let him depart from you, for his works are necessary. |
| 13 hay ocasiones en que la curación está en sus manos. | | 13 For there is a time when you may fall into their hands. |
| 14 También ellos rezan al Señor, | para que les conceda poder aliviar el dolor, | curar la enfermedad y salvar tu vida. | 14 Truly, they will beseech the Lord, so that he may direct their treatments and cures, for the sake of their way of life. |
| 15 El que peca contra su Hacedor | ¡caiga en manos del médico! | 15 He who sins in the sight of the One who made him will fall into the hands of the physician. |
| 16 Hijo, por un muerto derrama lágrimas, | y como quien sufre atrozmente, entona un lamento; | amortaja el cadáver como es debido, | y no descuides su sepultura. | 16 Son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to weep, as if you had suffered dreadfully. And according to judgment, cover his body, and you should not neglect his burial. |
| 17 Llora amargamente, date fuertes golpes de pecho, | celebra el duelo según su dignidad: | un día o dos para evitar murmuraciones, | pero luego consuélate de tu tristeza. | 17 And though you will sink down into bitterness, bear his mourning for one day, and then be consoled in your sadness. |
| 18 Porque la tristeza lleva a la muerte, | y la pena del corazón consume las fuerzas. | 18 And carry out his mourning, according to his merit, for one or two days because of this loss. |
| 19 En la desgracia se prolonga la pena, | la vida del pobre le aflige el corazón. | 19 Yet sadness hastens death and overwhelms strength, and the sorrow of the heart bows down the neck. |
| 20 No te abandones a la tristeza, | apártala, pensando en el final. | 20 When one is taken away, sorrow remains. But the resources of a destitute man is found in his heart. |
| 21 No olvides que no hay retorno; | al difunto no le aprovecha tu tristeza y a ti te perjudicas. | 21 You should not give your heart over to sadness, but push it away from you. And remember the very end. |
| 22 Recuerda mi sentencia, que será también la tuya: | «a mí me tocó ayer, a ti te toca hoy». | 22 Do not be willing to forget this; for there is no turning back. Otherwise, it will not benefit you, and you will cause great harm to yourself. |
| 23 Con el descanso del muerto haz que descanse su memoria, | consuélate de él, una vez que ha dejado de existir. | 23 Call to mind my judgment. For so shall it be for you also. Yesterday is mine, and today is yours. |
| 24 La sabiduría del escriba se adquiere en los ratos de ocio, | el que se libera de los negocios se hará sabio. | 24 When the deceased is at rest, let his memory rest also. And console him at the departure of his spirit. |
| 25 ¿Cómo podrá llegar a sabio el que empuña el arado, | y alardea de tener por lanza la aguijada, | el que conduce bueyes, los arrea mientras trabajan | y no sabe hablar más que de novillos? | 25 The wisdom of a scribe is found in his time of leisure. So whoever has less to do will gain wisdom. |
| 26 Se dedica con empeño a abrir surcos | y se desvela cebando terneras. | 26 With what wisdom will someone be filled who holds the plow, and who boasts of the cattle prod that drives the oxen forward, and who is occupied in these labors, and whose only conversation is about the offspring of bulls? |
| 27 De igual modo el obrero o artesano | que trabaja noche y día; | los que graban las efigies de los sellos | y se afanan por variar los detalles; | ponen todo su empeño en igualar el modelo | y pasan las noches rematando la obra. | 27 He will give his mind over to the plowing of furrows, and his vigilance to the fattening of the cows. |
| 28 También al herrero sentado junto al yunque, | atento a los trabajos del hierro: | el vapor del fuego le perjudica la carne | y en el calor de la fragua se fatiga; | el ruido del martillo lo ensordece | y sus ojos están fijos en el modelo de la herramienta; | se esfuerza por concluir su obra | y pasa sus noches puliendo todos los detalles. | 28 Similarly, every craftsman and artisan, who crafts in the night as well as in the day, who sculpts graven seals, and who, by his diligence, varies the image, will give his mind over to the likeness of the image. And he will complete the work by his vigilance. |
| 29 Igualmente el alfarero sentado a su tarea, | haciendo girar el torno con sus pies, | continuamente preocupado por su trabajo | y atareado en producir más cantidad de piezas; | 29 The blacksmith, sitting by his anvil and considering a work of iron, is similar. The steam from the fire singes his flesh, and he struggles against the heat of the furnace. |
| 30 con su brazo moldea la arcilla, | con sus pies ablanda su dureza; | se esfuerza por acabar el barnizado | y pasa sus noches limpiando el horno. | 30 The voice of the hammer is ever in his ears, and his eye is upon the pattern of the ironwork. |
| 31 Todos estos confían en sus manos, | y cada uno es experto en su oficio. | 31 He gives his heart to the completion of his work, and his vigilance adorns it to perfection. |
| 32 Sin ellos no se podría construir una ciudad, | ni se podría habitar ni circular por ella. | 32 The potter, sitting at his work and turning the wheel with his feet, is similar. He has settled into a continual concern for his work, and there is a rhythm in all that he does. |
| 33 Pero no se les busca para el consejo del pueblo, | ni ocupan puestos de honor en la asamblea. | No se sientan en el sitial del juez, | ni comprenden las disposiciones del derecho. | 33 He forms the clay with his arm, and he bends his strength over his feet. |
| 34 No son capaces de enseñar ni de juzgar, | ni figuran entre los autores de proverbios. | Pero ellos aseguran el funcionamiento del mundo | y su preocupación está en las tareas de su oficio. | 34 He will give his heart over to the completion of the glazing, and his vigilance to the cleansing of the furnace. |
| 35 All these persons trust in their own hands, and each one is wise in his own art. |
| 36 Without these persons, a city is not built. |
| 37 But they will neither inhabit nor walk around in the city. And they will not go across to the church. |
| 38 They will not sit upon the seats of judges, and they will not understand a decree of judgment. And they will not make clear discipline and judgment, and they will not be found to understand parables. |
| 39 But they will strengthen the state of the world, and their prayer will be in their artistic works, applying their soul, and searching the law of the Most High. |
