Job

21 Then Job replied:

“Listen carefully to my words;(A)
    let this be the consolation you give me.(B)
Bear with me while I speak,
    and after I have spoken, mock on.(C)

“Is my complaint(D) directed to a human being?
    Why should I not be impatient?(E)
Look at me and be appalled;
    clap your hand over your mouth.(F)
When I think about this, I am terrified;(G)
    trembling seizes my body.(H)
Why do the wicked live on,
    growing old and increasing in power?(I)
They see their children established around them,
    their offspring before their eyes.(J)
Their homes are safe and free from fear;(K)
    the rod of God is not on them.(L)
10 Their bulls never fail to breed;
    their cows calve and do not miscarry.(M)
11 They send forth their children as a flock;(N)
    their little ones dance about.
12 They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;(O)
    they make merry to the sound of the pipe.(P)
13 They spend their years in prosperity(Q)
    and go down to the grave(R) in peace.[a](S)
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!(T)
    We have no desire to know your ways.(U)
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
    What would we gain by praying to him?’(V)
16 But their prosperity is not in their own hands,
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(W)

17 “Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out?(X)
    How often does calamity(Y) come upon them,
    the fate God allots in his anger?(Z)
18 How often are they like straw before the wind,
    like chaff(AA) swept away(AB) by a gale?(AC)
19 It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’(AD)
    Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it!(AE)
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction;(AF)
    let them drink(AG) the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.(AH)
21 For what do they care about the families they leave behind(AI)
    when their allotted months(AJ) come to an end?(AK)

22 “Can anyone teach knowledge to God,(AL)
    since he judges even the highest?(AM)
23 One person dies in full vigor,(AN)
    completely secure and at ease,(AO)
24 well nourished(AP) in body,[b]
    bones(AQ) rich with marrow.(AR)
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul,(AS)
    never having enjoyed anything good.
26 Side by side they lie in the dust,(AT)
    and worms(AU) cover them both.(AV)

27 “I know full well what you are thinking,
    the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,(AW)
    the tents where the wicked lived?’(AX)
29 Have you never questioned those who travel?
    Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
30 that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,(AY)
    that they are delivered from[c] the day of wrath?(AZ)
31 Who denounces their conduct to their face?
    Who repays them for what they have done?(BA)
32 They are carried to the grave,
    and watch is kept over their tombs.(BB)
33 The soil in the valley is sweet to them;(BC)
    everyone follows after them,
    and a countless throng goes[d] before them.(BD)

34 “So how can you console me(BE) with your nonsense?
    Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”(BF)

Footnotes

  1. Job 21:13 Or in an instant
  2. Job 21:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  3. Job 21:30 Or wicked are reserved for the day of calamity, / that they are brought forth to
  4. Job 21:33 Or them, / as a countless throng went

Respuesta de Job a Zofar

21 Entonces respondió Job, y dijo:

Escuchad atentamente mis palabras,
y que sea este vuestro consuelo para mí.
Tened paciencia y hablaré;
y después que haya hablado, os podréis burlar(A).
En cuanto a mí, ¿me quejo yo al[a] hombre(B)?
¿Y por qué no he de ser[b] impaciente(C)?
Miradme, y quedaos atónitos,
y poned la mano sobre vuestra boca(D).
Aun cuando me acuerdo, me perturbo,
y el horror se apodera de mi carne(E).
¿Por qué siguen viviendo los impíos,
envejecen(F), también se hacen muy poderosos(G)?
En su presencia se afirman con ellos sus descendientes[c],
y sus vástagos delante de sus ojos(H);
sus casas están libres de temor,
y no está la vara de Dios sobre ellos(I).
10 Su toro engendra sin fallar[d],
su vaca pare y no aborta.
11 Envían fuera a sus pequeños cual rebaño,
y sus niños andan saltando.
12 Cantan[e] con pandero y arpa,
y al son de la flauta se regocijan.
13 Pasan sus días en prosperidad(J),
y de repente descienden al[f] Seol[g].
14 Y dicen a Dios: «¡Apártate de nosotros(K)!
No deseamos el conocimiento de tus caminos.
15 ¿Quién[h] es el Todopoderoso[i], para que le sirvamos,
y qué ganaríamos con rogarle(L)?».
16 He aquí, no está en mano de ellos su prosperidad;
el consejo de los impíos lejos está de mí(M).

17 ¿Cuántas veces es apagada la lámpara de los impíos(N),
o cae sobre ellos su calamidad(O)?
¿Reparte Dios[j] dolores en su ira?
18 ¿Son como paja delante del viento(P),
y como tamo que arrebata el torbellino(Q)?
19 Decís: «Dios guarda la iniquidad de un hombre[k] para sus hijos(R)».
Que Dios[l] le pague para que aprenda.
20 Vean sus ojos su ruina(S),
y beba de la furia del Todopoderoso[m](T).
21 Pues ¿qué le importa la suerte de su casa después de él[n]
cuando el número de sus meses haya sido cortado?
22 ¿Puede enseñarse a Dios sabiduría(U),
siendo que Él juzga a los encumbrados(V)?
23 Uno muere en pleno vigor,
estando completamente tranquilo y satisfecho[o](W);
24 sus ijares están repletos de grosura[p],
húmeda está la médula de sus huesos(X),
25 mientras otro muere con alma amargada,
y sin haber probado[q] nada bueno.
26 Juntos yacen en el polvo(Y),
y los gusanos los cubren(Z).

27 He aquí, yo conozco vuestros pensamientos,
y los designios con los cuales me dañaríais.
28 Porque decís: «¿Dónde está la casa del noble(AA),
y dónde la tienda donde moraban los impíos(AB)?».
29 ¿No habéis preguntado a los caminantes,
y no reconocéis su testimonio[r]?
30 Porque el impío es preservado para el día de la destrucción(AC);
ellos serán conducidos en el día de la ira(AD).
31 ¿Quién le declarará en su cara sus acciones,
y quién le pagará por lo que ha hecho?
32 Mientras es llevado al sepulcro,
velarán sobre su túmulo.
33 Los terrones del valle suavemente le cubrirán[s](AE),
y le seguirán[t] todos los hombres,
e innumerables otros irán delante de él(AF).
34 ¿Cómo, pues, me consoláis(AG) en vano?
Vuestras respuestas están llenas de falsedad[u].

Footnotes

  1. Job 21:4 O, contra el
  2. Job 21:4 Lit., no ha de ser mi espíritu
  3. Job 21:8 Lit., se afirma su simiente
  4. Job 21:10 Lit., y no falla
  5. Job 21:12 Lit., Alzaron la voz
  6. Job 21:13 Así en muchas versiones antiguas; en el T.M., son desbaratados por el
  7. Job 21:13 I.e., región de los muertos
  8. Job 21:15 Lit., Qué
  9. Job 21:15 Heb., Shaddai
  10. Job 21:17 Lit., El
  11. Job 21:19 Lit., su iniquidad
  12. Job 21:19 Lit., El
  13. Job 21:20 Heb., Shaddai
  14. Job 21:21 I.e., después que él muera
  15. Job 21:23 O, quieto
  16. Job 21:24 Así en la versión siriaca; heb., incierto. Algunos traducen: sus baldes están llenos de leche
  17. Job 21:25 Lit., comido
  18. Job 21:29 Lit., sus señales
  19. Job 21:33 Lit., le serán dulces
  20. Job 21:33 Lit., se allegarán a él
  21. Job 21:34 O, infidelidad

Job Replies: The Wicked Do Prosper

21 Then Job answered and said:

(A)“Keep listening to my words,
    and let this be your comfort.
Bear with me, and I will speak,
    and after I have spoken, (B)mock on.
As for me, is my (C)complaint against man?
    Why should I not be impatient?
Look at me and be appalled,
    and (D)lay your hand over your mouth.
When I remember, I am dismayed,
    and shuddering seizes my flesh.
(E)Why do the wicked live,
    reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
Their (F)offspring are established in their presence,
    and their descendants before their eyes.
Their houses are (G)safe from fear,
    and (H)no rod of God is upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without fail;
    their cow calves and (I)does not miscarry.
11 They send out their (J)little boys like a flock,
    and their children dance.
12 They sing to (K)the tambourine and (L)the lyre
    and rejoice to the sound of (M)the pipe.
13 They (N)spend their days in prosperity,
    and in (O)peace they go down to (P)Sheol.
14 They say to God, (Q)‘Depart from us!
    We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
15 (R)What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
    And what (S)profit do we get if we pray to him?’
16 Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand?
    (T)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17 “How often is it that (U)the lamp of the wicked is put out?
    That their calamity comes upon them?
    That God[a] distributes pains in his anger?
18 That they are like (V)straw before the wind,
    and like (W)chaff that the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘God (X)stores up their iniquity for their (Y)children.’
    Let him pay it out to them, that they may (Z)know it.
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction,
    and let them (AA)drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what do they care for their houses after them,
    when (AB)the number of their months is cut off?
22 (AC)Will any teach God knowledge,
    seeing that he (AD)judges those who are on high?
23 One dies in his full vigor,
    being wholly at ease and secure,
24 his pails[b] full of milk
    and (AE)the marrow of his bones moist.
25 Another dies in (AF)bitterness of soul,
    never having tasted of prosperity.
26 They (AG)lie down alike in the dust,
    and (AH)the worms cover them.

27 “Behold, I know your thoughts
    and your schemes to wrong me.
28 For you say, (AI)‘Where is the house of the prince?
    Where is (AJ)the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the roads,
    and do you not accept their testimony
30 that (AK)the evil man is spared in the day of calamity,
    that he is rescued in the day of wrath?
31 Who declares his way (AL)to his face,
    and who (AM)repays him for what he has done?
32 When he is (AN)carried to the grave,
    watch is kept over his tomb.
33 (AO)The clods of the valley are sweet to him;
    (AP)all mankind follows after him,
    and those who go before him are innumerable.
34 How then will you comfort me with empty nothings?
    There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 21:17 Hebrew he
  2. Job 21:24 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain

21 And Job answereth and saith: --

Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.

Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking -- ye may deride.

I -- to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?

Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.

Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.

Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.

Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.

Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.

10 His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.

11 They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,

12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.

13 They wear out in good their days, And in a moment [to] Sheol go down.

14 And they say to God, `Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.

15 What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'

16 Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

17 How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.

18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,

19 God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him -- and he knoweth.

20 His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.

21 For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?

22 To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?

23 This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.

24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.

25 And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.

26 Together -- on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.

27 Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.

28 For ye say, `Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent -- The tabernacles of the wicked?'

29 Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?

30 That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.

31 Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?

32 And he -- to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.

33 Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.

34 And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?