1 Ten a bien, Job, escuchar mis palabras, presta oído a todas mis razones. | 1 So, Job, please listen to my words and attend to al I have to say. |
2 Ya ves que he abierto mi boca, en mi paladar habla mi lengua. | 2 Now as I open my mouth, and my tongue shapes words against my palate, |
3 Mi corazón dará palabras cuerdas, la pura verdad dirán mis labios. | 3 I shal utter words of wisdom from the heart, my lips will speak in all sincerity. |
4 El soplo de Dios me hizo, me animó el aliento de Sadday. | 4 God's was the spirit that made me, Shaddai's the breath that gave me life. |
5 Si eres capaz, replícame, ¡alerta, ponte en guardia ante mí! | 5 Refute me, if you can. Prepare yourself, take up your position! |
6 Mira, soy como tú, no soy un dios, también yo de arcilla fui plasmado. | 6 Look, I am your equal, not some god, like you I was moulded out of clay. |
7 Por eso mi terror no te ha de espantar, no pesará mi mano sobre ti. | 7 No fear of me, therefore, need affright you, my hand wil not lie heavy over you. |
8 No has hecho más que decir a mis propios oídos, - pues he oído el son de tus palabras -: | 8 How could you say in my hearing -- for the sound of your words did not escape me- |
9 «Puro soy, sin delito; limpio estoy, no hay culpa en mí. | 9 'I am clean, and sinless, I am pure, without fault. |
10 Pero él inventa contra mí pretextos, y me reputa como su enemigo; | 10 But he keeps inventing excuses against me and regards me as his enemy. |
11 mis pies pone en el cepo, espía todas mis sendas.» | 11 He puts me in the stocks, he watches my every path'? |
12 Pues bien, respondo, en esto no tienes razón, porque Dios es más grande que el hombre. | 12 In saying so, I tel you, you are wrong: for God is greater than any human being. |
13 ¿Por qué te querellas tú con él porque no responda a todas tus palabras? | 13 Why then quarrel with him for not replying to you, word for word? |
14 Habla Dios una vez, y otra vez, sin que se le haga caso. | 14 God speaks first in one way, and then in another, although we do not realise it. |
15 En sueños, en visión nocturna, cuando un letargo cae sobre los hombres, mientras están dormidos en su lecho, | 15 In dreams and in night-visions, when slumber has settled on humanity and people are asleep in bed, |
16 entonces abre él el oído de los hombres, y con sus apariciones les espanta, | 16 he speaks in someone's ear, frightens him with apparitions |
17 para apartar al hombre de sus obras y acabar con su orgullo de varón, | 17 to turn him from what he is doing and to put an end to his pride. |
18 para librar su alma de la fosa y su vida de pasar el Canal. | 18 And thus he preserves his soul from the abyss, his life from passing down the Canal. |
19 También es corregido por el dolor en su camilla, por el temblor continuo de sus huesos, | 19 Or again, he corrects by the sufferings of the sick-bed, when someone's bones tremble continuously |
20 cuando a su vida el alimento asquea y a su alma los manjares exquisitos, | 20 and the thought of food revolts him, however tasty it is, |
21 cuando su carne desaparece de la vista, y sus huesos, que no se veían, aparecen; | 21 and his flesh rots away while you watch it and the bones beneath begin to show, |
22 cuando su alma a la fosa se aproxima y su vida a la morada de los muertos. | 22 and his soul is drawing nearer to the abyss and his life to the dwel ing of the dead. |
23 Si hay entonces junto a él un Ángel, un Mediador escogido entre mil, que declare al hombre su deber, | 23 Then, if there is an Angel near him, a Mediator, one in a thousand, to remind him where his duty lies, |
24 que de él se apiade y diga: «Líbrale de bajar a la fosa, yo he encontrado el rescate de su alma», | 24 to take pity on him and to say, 'Spare him from going down to the abyss: I have found the ransom forhis life,' |
25 su carne se renueva de vigor juvenil, vuelve a los días de su adolescencia. | 25 his flesh wil recover its childhood freshness, he wil return to the days of his youth. |
26 Invoca a Dios, que le otorga su favor, y va a ver con júbilo su rostro Anuncia a los demás su justicia, | 26 He wil pray to God who has restored him to favour, and wil come into his presence with joy. He wiltel others how he has received saving justice |
27 canta así entre los hombres: «Yo había pecado y torcido el derecho, mas Dios no me ha dado el merecido. | 27 and sing this hymn before his companions, 'I sinned and left the path of right, but God has notpunished me as my sin deserved. |
28 Ha librado mi alma de pasar por la fosa, y mi vida contempla la luz.» | 28 He has spared my soul from going down to the abyss and is making my life see the light.' |
29 He aquí todo lo que hace Dios, dos y tres veces con el hombre, | 29 All this is what God keeps doing again and yet again for human beings, |
30 para recobrar su alma de la fosa, para que sea alumbrado con la luz de los vivos. | 30 to snatch souls back from the abyss and to make the light of the living stil shine. |
31 Atiende, Job, escúchame, guarda silencio, y yo hablaré. | 31 Pay attention, Job, listen to me: keep quiet, I have more to say. |
32 Si tienes algo que decir, replícame, habla, pues yo deseo darte la razón. | 32 If you have anything to say, refute me, speak out, for I would gladly accept that you are upright. |
33 Si no, escúchame, guarda silencio, y yo te enseñaré sabiduría. | 33 If not, then listen to me: keep quiet, and I wil teach you wisdom. |