1 Y RESPONDIO Eliphaz Temanita, y dijo:

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 ¿ Si proferirá el sabio vana sabiduría, Y henchirá su vientre de viento solano?

Should a wise man utter such windy knowledge and fill himself with the east wind ?

3 ¿ Disputará con palabras inútiles, Y con razones sin provecho?

Should he reason with unprofitable talk? Or with speeches with which he can do no good?

4 T ú también disipas el temor, Y menoscabas la oración delante de Dios.

Indeed, you are doing away with fear, and you are hindering and diminishing meditation and devotion before God.

5 P orque tu boca declaró tu iniquidad, Pues has escogido el hablar de los astutos.

For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

6 T u boca te condenará, y no yo; Y tus labios testificarán contra ti.

Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; yes, your own lips testify against you.

7 ¿ Naciste tú primero que Adam? ¿O fuiste formado antes que los collados?

Are you the first man that was born ? Or were you created before the hills?

8 ¿ Oíste tú el secreto de Dios, Que detienes en ti solo la sabiduría?

Were you present to hear the secret counsel of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?

9 ¿ Qué sabes tú que no sepamos? ¿Qué entiendes que no se halle en nosotros?

What do you know that we know not? What do you understand that is not equally clear to us?

10 E ntre nosotros también hay cano, también hay viejo Mucho mayor en días que tu padre.

Among us are both the gray-haired and the aged, older than your father by far.

11 ¿ En tan poco tienes las consolaciones de Dios? ¿Tienes acaso alguna cosa oculta cerca de ti?

Are God’s consolations too trivial for you? Is there any secret thing (any bosom sin) which you have not given up? were we too gentle toward you to be effective?

12 ¿ Por qué te enajena tu corazón, Y por qué guiñan tus ojos,

Why does your heart carry you away ? And why do your eyes flash,

13 P ues haces frente á Dios con tu espíritu, Y sacas tales palabras de tu boca?

That you turn your spirit against God and let words go out of your mouth?

14 ¿ Qué cosa es el hombre para que sea limpio, Y que se justifique el nacido de mujer?

What is man, that he could be pure and clean? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be right and just?

15 H e aquí que en sus santos no confía, Y ni los cielos son limpios delante de sus ojos:

Behold, puts no trust in His holy ones; indeed, the heavens are not clean in His sight—

16 ¿ Cuánto menos el hombre abominable y vil, Que bebe la iniquidad como agua?

How much less that which is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water?

17 E scúchame; yo te mostraré Y te contaré lo que he visto:

I will show you, hear me; and that which I have seen I will relate,

18 ( Lo que los sabios nos contaron De sus padres, y no lo encubrieron;

What wise men have not hid but have freely communicated; it was told to them by their fathers,

19 A los cuales solos fué dada la tierra, Y no pasó extraño por medio de ellos:)

Unto whom alone the land was given, and no stranger intruded or passed among them.

20 T odos los días del impío, él es atormentado de dolor, Y el número de años es escondido al violento.

The wicked man suffers with torment all his days, through all the years that are numbered and laid up for him, the oppressor.

21 E struendos espantosos hay en sus oídos; En la paz le vendrá quien lo asuele.

A sound of terrors is in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

22 E l no creerá que ha de volver de las tinieblas, Y está mirando al cuchillo.

He believes that he will not return out of darkness, and he is waited for by the sword.

23 D esasosegado á comer siempre, Sabe que le está aparejado día de tinieblas.

He wanders abroad for food, saying, Where is it? He knows that the day of darkness and destruction is already close upon him.

24 T ribulación y angustia le asombrarán, Y esforzaránse contra él como un rey apercibido para la batalla.

Distress and anguish terrify him; they shall prevail against him, like a king ready for battle.

25 P or cuanto él extendió su mano contra Dios, Y se esforzó contra el Todopoderoso,

Because he has stretched out his hand against God and bids defiance and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,

26 E l le acometerá en la cerviz, En lo grueso de las hombreras de sus escudos:

Running stubbornly against Him with a thickly ornamented shield;

27 P orque cubrió su rostro con su gordura, E hizo pliegues sobre los ijares;

Because he has covered his face with his fat, adding layers of fat on his loins,

28 Y habitó las ciudades asoladas, Las casas inhabitadas, Que estaban puestas en montones.

And has lived in desolate cities and in houses which no man should inhabit, which were destined to become heaps;

29 N o enriquecerá, ni será firme su potencia, Ni extenderá por la tierra su hermosura.

He shall not be rich, neither shall his wealth last, neither shall his produce bend to the earth nor his possessions be extended on the earth.

30 N o se escapará de las tinieblas: La llama secará sus ramos, Y con el aliento de su boca perecerá.

He shall not depart out of darkness shall consume him as flame consumes a dry tree, and by the blast of His mouth he shall be swept away.

31 N o confíe el iluso en la vanidad; Porque ella será su recompensa.

Let him not deceive himself and trust in vanity (emptiness, falseness, and futility), for these shall be his recompense.

32 E l será cortado antes de su tiempo, Y sus renuevos no reverdecerán.

It shall be accomplished and paid in full while he still lives, and his branch shall not be green.

33 E l perderá su agraz como la vid, Y derramará su flor como la oliva.

He shall fail to bring his grapes to maturity on the vine and shall cast off blossoms like the olive tree.

34 P orque la sociedad de los hipócritas será asolada, Y fuego consumirá las tiendas de soborno.

For the company of the godless shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery (wrong and injustice).

35 C oncibieron dolor, y parieron iniquidad; Y las entradas de ellos meditan engaño.

They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, and their inmost soul hatches deceit.