1 Y Job le respondió:

¶ Then Job answered and said,

2 « ¡Ya he escuchado esto muchas veces! ¡Valiente consuelo me resultan sus palabras!

Many times I have heard such things; miserable comforters are ye all.

3 ¿ No tienen fin sus palabras huecas? ¿Qué los lleva a no dejar de hablar?

Shall vain words have an end? Or what is it that emboldens thee to answer?

4 S i ustedes estuvieran en mi lugar, ¡también yo les hablaría del mismo modo! Les lanzaría fuertes acusaciones, y me burlaría de ustedes y les haría muecas.

I also could speak as ye do. I wish your soul were in my soul’s stead, that I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.

5 P ero si yo estuviera en su lugar, les daría ánimo y con palabras de consuelo mitigaría su dolor.

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would assuage the pain.

6 » Si hablo, mi sufrimiento aumenta; si guardo silencio, el dolor no me abandona.

¶ Though if I speak, my pain does not cease; and if I forbear to speak, it does not depart from me.

7 T ú, Dios mío, has acabado con mis fuerzas; ¡me has dejado completamente abandonado!

But now he has made me weary; thou hast made desolate all my company.

8 T estigo de ello es mi piel reseca; mi rostro lleno de arrugas delata mi dolor.

And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me bears witness to my face.

9 T ú, Dios mío, me persigues con encono; como fiera, rechinas los dientes contra mí. ¡Me clavas la mirada, como un enemigo!

His wrath has torn me and has been against me; he gnashed upon me with his teeth; my enemy sharpened his eyes upon me.

10 » Mis enemigos se ponen de acuerdo, y hablan contra mí y me dan de bofetadas; todos a una me humillan y me golpean.

They have opened their mouth against me; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

11 T ú, Dios mío, me has abandonado; ¡me has dejado caer en manos de gente malvada!

God has delivered me unto the liar, and in the hands of the wicked he has caused me to tremble.

12 Y o era un hombre de bien, y me arruinaste; me tomaste por el cuello y me sacudiste; ¡me pusiste como blanco de tus ataques!

I was prosperous, but he has broken me asunder; he has taken me by my neck and shaken me to pieces and set me up for his mark.

13 T us arqueros me rodearon, y sin compasión me horadaron los riñones, y la hiel se derramó por el suelo.

His archers compassed me round about; he cleaved my kidneys asunder and did not spare; he poured out my gall upon the ground.

14 T ú, Dios mío, me heriste una y otra vez; me atacaste con la saña de un guerrero.

He broke me with breach upon breach; he ran upon me like a giant.

15 C ubrí con ropa áspera mi cuerpo, y humillado me postré hasta el suelo.

I have sewn sackcloth upon my skin and put dust over my head.

16 T engo la cara hinchada de tanto llorar, y en mis ojos pueden verse grandes ojeras,

My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death,

17 a un cuando no he cometido actos violentos y a Dios dirijo oraciones sinceras.

¶ even though there is no injustice in my hands, and my prayer has been pure.

18 » ¡Tierra, no te bebas mi sangre! ¡No dejes impune mi dolor!

O earth, do not cover my blood; and let there be no place where my cry is hidden.

19 P ongo por testigo al que habita en los cielos; el que está en las alturas es mi defensor.

Certainly my witness is even now in the heavens, and my record is on high.

20 S i mis amigos disputan contra mí, yo espero que Dios escuche mi llanto.

Those who dispute with me are my friends, but my eyes shall pour out tears unto God.

21 ¡ Cómo quisiera yo discutir con Dios, como lo hacemos con nuestros semejantes!

O that a man might dispute with God, as he can with his neighbour!

22 P ero tengo contados los días, y voy camino al sepulcro, del cual no volveré.

When the counted years are come, then I shall go the way from which I shall not return.