1 P ero Elifaz el temanita le respondió a Job:

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 « ¿En qué se beneficia Dios con el hombre, aun cuando éste sea un hombre inteligente?

Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he that is wise is profitable to himself.

3 ¿ Se complace el Todopoderoso en tu inocencia, o gana algo con que vayas por el buen camino?

Is it any pleasure or advantage to the Almighty that you are righteous (upright and in right standing with Him)? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways perfect?

4 ¿ Acaso te castiga por tu piedad, y por eso te somete a juicio?

Is it for your fear of Him that He reproves you, that He enters with you into judgment?

5 ¡ Demasiado grande es tu maldad! ¡Tu pecado no tiene límites!

Is not your wickedness great? There is no end to your iniquities.

6 S in razón tomaste prenda de tus hermanos, y a los pobres los despojaste de sus ropas.

For you have taken pledges of your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

7 N o le diste de beber al sediento, y al hambriento no le diste de comer.

You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

8 E n cambio, a los poderosos les diste tierras, y a los magnates les permitiste habitarlas.

But the man with power possessed the land, and the favored and accepted man dwelt in it.

9 A las viudas las despediste con las manos vacías, y a los huérfanos los despojaste de todo.

You have sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

10 P or eso te ves enredado en esas trampas, y te asaltan temores repentinos.

Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden fear troubles and overwhelms you;

11 L as tinieblas no te dejan ver, y las aguas profundas te abruman.

Your light is darkened, so that you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

12 » Pero Dios está en las alturas de los cielos; ¡mira cuán altas se hallan las refulgentes estrellas!

Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

13 ¿ Y tú dices que Dios no sabe lo que haces, y que la densa oscuridad le impide juzgar?

Therefore you say, How and what does God know ? Can He judge through the thick darkness?

14 ¿ Que no te puede ver porque las nubes lo rodean, y porque va y viene por la bóveda celeste?

Thick clouds are a covering to Him, so that He does not see, and He walks on the vault of the heavens.

15 ¿ Acaso quieres seguir por la antigua senda que han recorrido los malvados?

Will you pay attention and keep to the old way that wicked men trod,

16 E llos fueron arrebatados antes de tiempo, porque sus fundamentos no eran firmes.

Men who were snatched away before their time, whose foundations were poured out like a stream ?

17 L e pidieron a Dios que se apartara de ellos, sin que el Omnipotente les hubiera hecho daño.

They said to God, Depart from us, and, What can the Almighty do for or to us?

18 M ás bien, Dios colmó sus casas de bienes. ¡Lejos sea de mí el juntarme con ellos!

Yet He filled their houses with good. But the counsel of the ungodly is far from me.

19 A l verlos destruidos, los justos se alegrarán, y los inocentes se burlarán de ellos y dirán:

The righteous see it and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn,

20 “ Nuestros enemigos han sido destruidos; el fuego ha consumido lo que de ellos quedaba.”

Surely those who rose up against us are cut off, and that which remained to them the fire has consumed.

21 » Reconcíliate con Dios, y recupera la paz; así él te devolverá la prosperidad.

Acquaint now yourself with Him and be at peace; by that good shall come to you.

22 P ermítele que él mismo te instruya, y pon sus palabras en tu corazón.

Receive, I pray you, the law and instruction from His mouth and lay up His words in your heart.

23 S i te vuelves a Dios, él te levantará; así alejarás de tu casa la aflicción.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents,

24 S i arrojas por el suelo tus riquezas, tendrás tanto oro de Ofir como piedras en el río.

If you lay gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brook,

25 E l Todopoderoso será tu defensor, y en tu casa abundará la plata.

And make the Almighty your gold and your precious silver treasure,

26 H allarás tu deleite en el Todopoderoso, y ante Dios podrás levantar la cara.

Then you will have delight in the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.

27 C uando lo llames, él te escuchará, y tú podrás cumplirle tus promesas.

You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows.

28 L levarás a buen término todos tus planes, y en tus caminos brillará la luz.

You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light shall shine upon your ways.

29 A los humildes, Dios los exalta; a los abatidos, Dios les da su salvación.

When they make low, you will say, a lifting up; and the humble person He lifts up and saves.

30 D ios libera al que es inocente, y si eres inocente, también serás liberado.»

He will even deliver the one who is not innocent; yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.