Wisdom 12

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Biblia Sagrada
1 for your imperishable spirit is in all things!	1 Pues tu soplo incorruptible está en todas ellas.
2 Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them, and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!	2 Por eso corriges poco a poco a los que caen, | los reprendes y les recuerdas su pecado, | para que, apartándose del mal, crean en ti, Señor.
3 For truly, the ancient inhabitants of your holy land,	3 A los antiguos habitantes de tu santa tierra,
4 whom you hated for deeds most odious-- Works of witchcraft and impious sacrifices;	4 los aborreciste por sus prácticas abominables, | actos de magia y ritos sacrílegos.
5 a cannibal feast of human flesh and of blood, from the midst of. . .-- These merciless murderers of children,	5 A esos crueles asesinos de niños, | devoradores de entrañas en banquetes de carne y sangre humanas, | a esos iniciados en bacanales,
6 and parents who took with their own hands defenseless lives, You willed to destroy by the hands of our fathers,	6 padres asesinos de seres indefensos, | decidiste eliminarlos por medio de nuestros antepasados,
7 that the land that is dearest of all to you might receive a worthy colony of God's children.	7 para que la tierra que tú más apreciabas | acogiera a la digna colonia de los hijos de Dios.
8 But even these, as they were men, you spared, and sent wasps as forerunners of your army that they might exterminate them by degrees.	8 Pero también con estos, como hombres que eran, fuiste indulgente | y les enviaste avispas como avanzadilla de tu ejército, | para exterminarlos poco a poco.
9 Not that you were without power to have the wicked vanquished in battle by the just, or wiped out at once by terrible beasts or by one decisive word;	9 Aunque pudiste entregar a los impíos en manos de los justos en batalla campal, | o aniquilarlos de una vez con bestias feroces o con una orden fulminante,
10 But condemning them bit by bit, you gave them space for repentance. You were not unaware that their race was wicked and their malice ingrained, And that their dispositions would never change;	10 los castigaste paulatinamente, dándoles ocasión de arrepentirse, | aunque sabías que eran de mala cepa, de malicia innata, | y que su modo de pensar no cambiaría nunca,
11 for they were a race accursed from the beginning. Neither out of fear for anyone did you grant amnesty for their sins.	11 pues era una raza maldita desde su origen; | si les indultaste los pecados, no fue por miedo a nadie.
12 For who can say to you, "What have you done?" or who can oppose your decree? Or when peoples perish, who can challenge you, their maker; or who can come into your presence as vindicator of unjust men?	12 Pues, ¿quién puede decirte: «¿Qué has hecho?», | o ¿quién se opondrá a tu sentencia?, | ¿quién te citará a juicio por haber destruido las naciones que tú has creado?, | o ¿quién se alzará contra ti para vengar a los injustos?
13 For neither is there any god besides you who have the care of all, that you need show you have not unjustly condemned;	13 Pues fuera de ti no hay otro Dios que cuide de todo, | a quien tengas que demostrar que no juzgas injustamente;
14 Nor can any king or prince confront you on behalf of those you have punished.	14 ni rey ni soberano que pueda desafiarte defendiendo a los que tú has castigado.
15 But as you are just, you govern all things justly; you regard it as unworthy of your power to punish one who has incurred no blame.	15 Siendo justo, todo lo gobiernas con justicia | y consideras incompatible con tu poder | condenar a quien no merece ser castigado.
16 For your might is the source of justice; your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.	16 Porque tu fuerza es el principio de la justicia | y tu señorío sobre todo te hace ser indulgente con todos.
17 For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved; and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.	17 Despliegas tu fuerza ante el que no cree en tu poder perfecto | y confundes la osadía de los que lo conocen.
18 But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us; for power, whenever you will, attends you.	18 Pero tú, dueño del poder, juzgas con moderación | y nos gobiernas con mucha indulgencia, | porque haces uso de tu poder cuando quieres.
19 And you taught your people, by these deeds, that those who are just must be kind; And you gave your sons good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins.	19 Actuando así, enseñaste a tu pueblo | que el justo debe ser humano | y diste a tus hijos una buena esperanza, | pues concedes el arrepentimiento a los pecadores.
20 For these were enemies of your servants, doomed to death; yet, while you punished them with such solicitude and pleading, granting time and opportunity to abandon wickedness,	20 Pues, si a los enemigos de tus hijos, reos de muerte, | los castigaste con tanta benevolencia e indulgencia, | dándoles tiempo y lugar para apartarse de su maldad,
21 With what exactitude you judged your sons, to whose fathers you gave the sworn covenants of goodly promises!	21 ¿con cuánta consideración no habrás juzgado a tus hijos, | con cuyos padres pactaste jurando alianzas de tan buenas promesas?
22 Us, therefore, you chastise and our enemies with a thousand blows you punish, that we may think earnestly of your goodness when we judge, and, when being judged, may look for mercy.	22 Así, pues, para aleccionarnos a nosotros, | castigas a nuestros enemigos con moderación, | para que al juzgar recordemos tu bondad, | y al ser juzgados esperemos misericordia.
23 Hence those unjust also, who lived a life of folly, you tormented through their own abominations.	23 Por eso, a cuantos vivieron insensata y depravadamente, | los atormentaste con sus propias abominaciones.
24 For they went far astray in the paths of error, taking for gods the worthless and disgusting among beasts, deceived like senseless infants.	24 Se extraviaron muy lejos, | teniendo por dioses a los animales más viles y repugnantes, | dejándose engañar como niños inconscientes.
25 Therefore as though upon unreasoning children, you sent your judgment on them as a mockery;	25 Por eso, como a niños sin juicio, | les enviaste un castigo que hacía reír.
26 But they who took no heed of punishment which was but child's play were to experience a condemnation worthy of God.	26 Pero los que no escarmentaron con correcciones irrisorias, | iban a experimentar un castigo digno de Dios.
27 For in the things through which they suffered distress, since they were tortured by the very things they deemed gods, They saw and recognized the true God whom before they had refused to know; with this, their final condemnation came upon them.	27 Al verse atormentados e irritados por aquellos seres | que tenían por dioses y ahora eran su castigo, | abrieron los ojos y reconocieron como Dios verdadero, | al que antes se negaban a reconocer; | y por eso les sobrevino el peor de los castigos.