1 ¡Feliz el hombre que no ha faltado con su lengua ni es atormentado por el remordimiento! | 1 Blessed is the man that hath not slipped by a word out of his mouth, and is not pricked with the remorse of sin. |
2 ¡Feliz el que no tiene que reprocharse a sí mismo y no ve desvanecerse su esperanza! | 2 Happy is he that hath had no sadness of his mind, and who is not fallen from his hope. |
3 ¿De qué le sirve la riqueza al mezquino y para qué tiene el avaro su fortuna. | 3 Riches are not comely for a covetous man and a niggard, and what should an envious man do with gold? |
4 El que acumula, privándose de todo, acumula para otros, y otros se darán buena vida con sus bienes. | 4 He that gathereth together by wronging his own soul, gathereth for others, and another will squander away his goods in rioting. |
5 El que es malo consigo mismo ¿con quién será bueno? Ni él mismo disfruta de su fortuna. | 5 He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? and he shall not take pleasure in his goods. |
6 No hay nadie peor que el avaro consigo mismo, y ese es el justo pago de su maldad. | 6 There is none worse than he that envieth himself, and this is the reward of his wickedness: |
7 Si hace algún bien, lo hace por descuido, y termina por revelar su malicia. | 7 And if he do good, he doth it ignorantly, and unwillingly: and at the last he discovereth his wickedness. |
8 Es un malvado el que mira con envidia, el que da vuelta la cara y menosprecia a los demás. | 8 The eye of the envious is wicked: and he turneth away his face, and despiseth his own soul. |
9 El ojo del ambicioso no está satisfecho con su parte y la ruindad reseca el alma. | 9 The eye of the covetous man is insatiable in his portion of iniquity: he will not be satisfied till he consume his own soul, drying it up. |
10 El miserable mezquina el pan y tiene su mesa siempre vacía. | 10 An evil eye is towards evil things: and he shall not have his fill of bread, but shall be needy and pensive at his own table. |
11 En la medida de tus recursos, vive bien, hijo mío, y presenta al Señor ofrendas dignas. | 11 My son, if thou have any thing, do good to thyself, and offer to God worthy offerings. |
12 Recuerda que la muerte no tardará y que el pacto del Abismo no te ha sido revelado. | 12 Remember that death is not slow, and that the covenant of hell hath been shewn to thee: for the covenant of this world shall surely die. |
13 Antes de morir, haz el bien a tu amigo y dale con largueza, en la medida de tus fuerzas. | 13 Do good to thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability, stretching out thy hand give to the poor. |
14 No te prives de un día agradable ni desaproveches tu parte de gozo legítimo. | 14 Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good gift overpass thee. |
15 ¿Acaso no dejarás a otro el fruto de tus trabajos, y el de tus fatigas, para que lo repartan en herencia? | 15 Shalt thou not leave to others to divide by lot thy sorrows and labours? |
16 Da y recibe, olvida tus preocupaciones, porque no hay que buscar delicias en el Abismo. | 16 Give and take, and justify thy soul. |
17 Todo ser viviente envejece como un vestido, porque está en pie la antigua sentencia: «Tienes que morir». | 17 Before thy death work justice: for in hell there is no finding food. |
18 En el follaje de un árbol tupido, unas hojas caen y otras brotan: así son las generaciones de carne y de sangre, una muere y otra nace. | 18 All flesh shall fade as grass, and as the leaf that springeth out on a green tree. |
19 Toda obra corruptible desaparece y el que la hizo se irá con ella. | 19 Some grow, and some fall off: so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born. |
20 ¡Feliz el hombre que se ocupa de la sabiduría y el que razona con inteligencia, | 20 Every work that is corruptible shall fail in the end: and the worker thereof shall go with it. |
21 el que reflexiona sobre los caminos de la sabiduría y penetra en sus secretos! | 21 And every excellent work shall be justified: and the worker thereof shall be honoured therein. |
22 El la sigue como un rastreador y se queda al acecho de sus pasos; | 22 Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom, and that shall meditate in his justice, and in his mind shall think of the all seeing eye of God. |
23 espía por sus ventanas y escucha atentamente a sus puertas; | 23 He that considereth her ways in his heart, and hath understanding in her secrets, who goeth after her as one that traceth, and stayeth in her ways: |
24 busca albergue cerca de su casa y clava una estaca en sus muros; | 24 He who looketh in at her windows, and hearkeneth at her door: |
25 instala su carpa cerca de ella y se alberga en la mejor de las moradas; | 25 He that lodgeth near her house, and fastening a pin in her walls shall set up his tent nigh unto her, where good things shall rest in his lodging for ever. |
26 pone a sus hijos bajo el abrigo de ella y vive a la sombre de sus ramas: | 26 He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches: |
27 ella lo protege del calor y él habita en su gloria. | 27 He shall be protected under her covering from the heat, and shall rest in her glory. |