1 P or tanto, Job, oye ahora mi discurso, y presta atención a todas mis palabras.

¶ Therefore, Job, hear now my reasons, and hearken to all my words.

2 H e aquí, ahora abro mi boca, en mi paladar habla mi lengua.

Behold, now I shall open my mouth, my tongue shall speak in my mouth.

3 M is palabras proceden de la rectitud de mi corazón, y con sinceridad mis labios hablan lo que saben.

My reasons declare the uprightness of my heart; and my lips shall utter pure knowledge.

4 E l Espíritu de Dios me ha hecho, y el aliento del Todopoderoso me da vida.

The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.

5 C ontradíceme si puedes; colócate delante de mí, ponte en pie.

If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.

6 H e aquí, yo como tú, pertenezco a Dios; del barro yo también he sido formado.

Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead; I also am formed out of the clay.

7 H e aquí, mi temor no te debe espantar, ni mi mano agravarse sobre ti.

Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.

8 C iertamente has hablado a oídos míos, y el sonido de tus palabras he oído:

¶ Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

9 “ Yo soy limpio, sin transgresión; soy inocente y en mí no hay culpa.

I am clean without rebellion, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

10 “ He aquí, El busca pretextos contra mí; me tiene por enemigo suyo.

Behold, God sought occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy,

11 “ Pone mis pies en el cepo; vigila todas mis sendas.”

he put my feet in the stocks, he guards all my paths.

12 H e aquí, déjame decirte que no tienes razón en esto, porque Dios es más grande que el hombre.

Behold, in this thou art not just; I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

13 ¿ Por qué te quejas contra El, diciendo que no da cuenta de todas sus acciones ?

Why dost thou strive against him? For he will not answer all of thy words.

14 C iertamente Dios habla una vez, y otra vez, pero nadie se da cuenta de ello.

¶ Nevertheless, in one or two manners God speaks to the one who does not see.

15 E n un sueño, en una visión nocturna, cuando un sueño profundo cae sobre los hombres, mientras dormitan en sus lechos,

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

16 e ntonces El abre el oído de los hombres, y sella su instrucción,

then he opens the ears of men and seals their instruction,

17 p ara apartar al hombre de sus obras, y del orgullo guardarlo;

that he may withdraw the man from his own work and cover the man from pride.

18 l ibra su alma de la fosa y su vida de pasar al Seol.

Thus he keeps back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword.

19 E l hombre es castigado también con dolor en su lecho, y con queja continua en sus huesos,

¶ He is chastened also upon his bed with strong pain in all his bones,

20 p ara que su vida aborrezca el pan, y su alma el alimento favorito.

so that his life abhors bread and his soul dainty food.

21 S u carne desaparece a la vista, y sus huesos que no se veían, aparecen.

His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.

22 E ntonces su alma se acerca a la fosa, y su vida a los que causan la muerte.

His soul shall draw near to the grave, and his life to those that would bury him.

23 S i hay un ángel que sea su mediador, uno entre mil, para declarar al hombre lo que es bueno para él,

If there is a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness;

24 y que tenga piedad de él, y diga: “Líbralo de descender a la fosa, he hallado su rescate ”;

to tell him that God had mercy on him, that he delivered him from going down to the pit; that he found a ransom;

25 q ue su carne se vuelva más tierna que en su juventud, que regrese a los días de su vigor juvenil.

his flesh shall become more tender than a child’s; and he shall return to the days of his youth.

26 E ntonces orará a Dios, y El lo aceptará, para que vea con gozo su rostro, y restaure su justicia al hombre.

He shall pray unto God, and he will love him; and he shall see his face with shouts of joy; for he will render unto the man the recompense of his righteousness.

27 C antará él a los hombres y dirá: “He pecado y pervertido lo que es justo, y no es apropiado para mí.

He looks upon men, and if any say, I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it did not profit me;

28 “ El ha redimido mi alma de descender a la fosa, y mi vida verá la luz.”

God will ransom his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

29 H e aquí, Dios hace todo esto a menudo con los hombres,

¶ Behold, God does all these things two and three times with man,

30 p ara rescatar su alma de la fosa, para que sea iluminado con la luz de la vida.

to turn back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

31 P on atención, Job, escúchame; calla, y déjame hablar.

Hear me, O Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.

32 S i algo tienes que decir, respóndeme; habla, porque deseo justificarte.

If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.

33 S i no, escúchame; calla, y te enseñaré sabiduría.

If not, hearken unto me; be silent, and I shall teach thee wisdom.