Giobbe 34
Conferenza Episcopale Italiana
Scacco dei tre saggi nel discolpare Dio
34 Eliu continuò a dire:
2 Ascoltate, saggi, le mie parole
e voi, sapienti, porgetemi l'orecchio,
3 Perché l'orecchio distingue le parole,
come il palato assapora i cibi.
4 Esploriamo noi ciò che è giusto,
indaghiamo fra di noi quale sia il bene:
5 poiché Giobbe ha detto: «Io son giusto,
ma Dio mi ha tolto il mio diritto;
6 contro il mio diritto passo per menzognero,
inguaribile è la mia piaga benché senza colpa».
7 Chi è come Giobbe
che beve, come l'acqua, l'insulto,
8 che fa la strada in compagnia dei malfattori,
andando con uomini iniqui?
9 Poiché egli ha detto: «Non giova all'uomo
essere in buona grazia con Dio».
10 Perciò ascoltatemi, uomini di senno:
lungi da Dio l'iniquità
e dall'Onnipotente l'ingiustizia!
11 Poiché egli ripaga l'uomo secondo il suo operato
e fa trovare ad ognuno secondo la sua condotta.
12 In verità, Dio non agisce da ingiusto
e l'Onnipotente non sovverte il diritto!
13 Chi mai gli ha affidato la terra
e chi ha disposto il mondo intero?
14 Se egli richiamasse il suo spirito a sè
e a sé ritraesse il suo soffio,
15 ogni carne morirebbe all'istante
e l'uomo ritornerebbe in polvere.
16 Se hai intelletto, ascolta bene questo,
porgi l'orecchio al suono delle mie parole.
17 Può mai governare chi odia il diritto?
E tu osi condannare il Gran Giusto?
18 lui che dice ad un re: «Iniquo!»
e ai principi: «Malvagi!»,
19 lui che non usa parzialità con i potenti
e non preferisce al povero il ricco,
perché tutti costoro sono opera delle sue mani?
20 In un istante muoiono e nel cuore della notte
sono colpiti i potenti e periscono;
e senza sforzo rimuove i tiranni,
21 poiché egli tiene gli occhi sulla condotta
dell'uomo
e vede tutti i suoi passi.
22 Non vi è tenebra, non densa oscurità,
dove possano nascondersi i malfattori.
23 Poiché non si pone all'uomo un termine
per comparire davanti a Dio in giudizio:
24 egli fiacca i potenti, senza fare inchieste,
e colloca altri al loro posto.
25 Poiché conosce le loro opere,
li travolge nella notte e sono schiacciati;
26 come malvagi li percuote,
li colpisce alla vista di tutti;
27 perché si sono allontanati da lui
e di tutte le sue vie non si sono curati,
28 sì da far giungere fino a lui il grido
dell'oppresso e fargli udire il lamento dei poveri.
29 Se egli tace, chi lo può condannare?
Se vela la faccia, chi lo può vedere?
Ma sulle nazioni e sugli individui egli veglia,
30 perché non regni un uomo perverso,
perché il popolo non abbia inciampi.
31 Si può dunque dire a Dio:
«Porto la pena, senza aver fatto il male;
32 se ho peccato, mostramelo;
se ho commesso l'iniquità, non lo farò più»?
33 Forse, secondo le tue idee dovrebbe ricompensare,
perché tu rifiuti il suo giudizio?
Poiché tu devi scegliere, non io,
dì, dunque, quello che sai.
34 Gli uomini di senno mi diranno
con l'uomo saggio che mi ascolta:
35 «Giobbe non parla con sapienza
e le sue parole sono prive di senno».
36 Bene, Giobbe sia esaminato fino in fondo,
per le sue risposte da uomo empio,
37 perché aggiunge al suo peccato la rivolta,
in mezzo a noi batte le mani
e moltiplica le parole contro Dio.
Job 34
La Biblia de las Américas
Eliú justifica a Dios
34 Entonces prosiguió Eliú, y dijo:
2 Oíd, sabios, mis palabras,
y vosotros los que sabéis, prestadme atención.
3 Porque el oído distingue las palabras,
como el paladar prueba la comida(A).
4 Escojamos para nosotros lo que es justo;
conozcamos entre nosotros lo que es bueno.
5 Porque Job ha dicho: «Yo soy justo(B),
pero Dios me ha quitado mi derecho(C).
6 ¿He de mentir respecto a mi derecho[a]?
Mi herida[b](D) es incurable, sin haber yo cometido transgresión».
7 ¿Qué hombre es como Job,
que bebe el escarnio como agua(E),
8 que va en compañía de los que hacen iniquidad,
y anda con hombres perversos(F)?
9 Porque ha dicho: «Nada gana el hombre
cuando se complace en[c] Dios(G)».
10 Por tanto, escuchadme, hombres de entendimiento.
Lejos esté de Dios la iniquidad,
y del Todopoderoso[d] la maldad(H).
11 Porque Él paga al hombre conforme a su trabajo,
y retribuye a cada cual conforme a su conducta[e](I).
12 Ciertamente, Dios no obrará perversamente,
y el Todopoderoso[f] no pervertirá el juicio(J).
13 ¿Quién le dio autoridad sobre la tierra(K)?
¿Y quién ha puesto a su cargo el mundo entero(L)?
14 Si Él determinara hacerlo así[g],
si hiciera volver[h] a sí mismo su espíritu y su aliento(M),
15 toda carne a una perecería(N),
y el hombre volvería al polvo(O).
16 Pero si tienes inteligencia, oye esto,
escucha la voz de mis palabras.
17 ¿Gobernará el que aborrece la justicia(P)?
¿Y condenarás al Justo poderoso(Q),
18 que dice a un rey: «Indigno»,
a los nobles: «Perversos»;
19 que no hace acepción de príncipes,
ni considera al rico sobre el pobre(R),
ya que todos son obra de sus manos(S)?
20 En un momento mueren, y a medianoche
se estremecen los pueblos y pasan(T),
y los poderosos son quitados(U) sin esfuerzo[i].
21 Porque sus ojos observan[j] los caminos del hombre,
y Él ve todos sus pasos(V).
22 No hay tinieblas ni densa oscuridad
donde puedan esconderse los que hacen iniquidad(W).
23 Porque Él no necesita considerar más al hombre(X),
para que vaya ante Dios en juicio.
24 Él quebranta a los poderosos(Y) sin indagar,
y pone a otros en su lugar.
25 Pues Él conoce sus obras(Z),
de noche los derriba(AA)
y son aplastados.
26 Como a malvados los azota(AB)
en un lugar público[k],
27 porque se apartaron de seguirle(AC),
y no consideraron ninguno de sus caminos(AD),
28 haciendo que el clamor del pobre llegara a Él(AE),
y que oyera el clamor de los afligidos(AF).
29 Cuando está quieto, ¿quién puede condenarle?;
y cuando esconde su rostro, ¿quién puede contemplarle?;
esto es, tanto nación como hombre,
30 para que no gobiernen hombres impíos(AG),
ni sean lazos para el pueblo.
31 Porque ¿ha dicho alguno a Dios:
«He sufrido castigo,
ya no ofenderé más;
32 enséñame lo que no veo;
si he obrado mal(AH),
no lo volveré a hacer»?
33 ¿Ha de retribuir Él según tus condiciones(AI), porque tú has rehusado?
Porque tú tienes que escoger y no yo,
por tanto, declara lo que sabes.
34 Los hombres entendidos me dirán,
y también el sabio que me oiga:
35 «Job habla sin conocimiento,
y sus palabras no tienen sabiduría(AJ).
36 Job debe ser[l] juzgado hasta el límite[m],
porque responde como los hombres perversos(AK).
37 Porque a su pecado añade rebelión(AL);
bate palmas(AM) entre nosotros,
y multiplica sus palabras contra Dios».
Footnotes
- Job 34:6 O, Aunque tengo razón se me considera un mentiroso
- Job 34:6 Lit., saeta
- Job 34:9 O, se deleita en
- Job 34:10 Heb., Shaddai
- Job 34:11 O, senda
- Job 34:12 Heb., Shaddai
- Job 34:14 Lit., pusiera su mente en sí mismo
- Job 34:14 Lit., recogiera
- Job 34:20 Lit., mano
- Job 34:21 Lit., están sobre
- Job 34:26 Lit., en el lugar de los que ven
- Job 34:36 Lit., Ruego que Job sea
- Job 34:36 O, el fin
Job 34
The Message
Elihu’s Second Speech
It’s Impossible for God to Do Evil
34 1-4 Elihu continued:
“So, my fine friends—listen to me,
and see what you think of this.
Isn’t it just common sense—
as common as the sense of taste—
To put our heads together
and figure out what’s going on here?
5-9 “We’ve all heard Job say, ‘I’m in the right,
but God won’t give me a fair trial.
When I defend myself, I’m called a liar to my face.
I’ve done nothing wrong, and I get punished anyway.’
Have you ever heard anything to beat this?
Does nothing faze this man Job?
Do you think he’s spent too much time in bad company,
hanging out with the wrong crowd,
So that now he’s parroting their line:
‘It doesn’t pay to try to please God’?
10-15 “You’re veterans in dealing with these matters;
certainly we’re of one mind on this.
It’s impossible for God to do anything evil;
no way can the Mighty One do wrong.
He makes us pay for exactly what we’ve done—no more, no less.
Our chickens always come home to roost.
It’s impossible for God to do anything wicked,
for the Mighty One to subvert justice.
He’s the one who runs the earth!
He cradles the whole world in his hand!
If he decided to hold his breath,
every man, woman, and child would die for lack of air.
God Is Working Behind the Scenes
16-20 “So, Job, use your head;
this is all pretty obvious.
Can someone who hates order, keep order?
Do you dare condemn the righteous, mighty God?
Doesn’t God always tell it like it is,
exposing corrupt rulers as scoundrels and criminals?
Does he play favorites with the rich and famous and slight the poor?
Isn’t he equally responsible to everybody?
Don’t people who deserve it die without notice?
Don’t wicked rulers tumble to their doom?
When the so-called great ones are wiped out,
we know God is working behind the scenes.
21-28 “He has his eyes on every man and woman.
He doesn’t miss a trick.
There is no night dark enough, no shadow deep enough,
to hide those who do evil.
God doesn’t need to gather any more evidence;
their sin is an open-and-shut case.
He deposes the so-called high and mighty without asking questions,
and replaces them at once with others.
Nobody gets by with anything; overnight,
judgment is signed, sealed, and delivered.
He punishes the wicked for their wickedness
out in the open where everyone can see it,
Because they quit following him,
no longer even thought about him or his ways.
Their apostasy was announced by the cry of the poor;
the cry of the afflicted got God’s attention.
Because You Refuse to Live on God’s Terms
29-30 “If God is silent, what’s that to you?
If he turns his face away, what can you do about it?
But whether silent or hidden, he’s there, ruling,
so that those who hate God won’t take over
and ruin people’s lives.
31-33 “So why don’t you simply confess to God?
Say, ‘I sinned, but I’ll sin no more.
Teach me to see what I still don’t see.
Whatever evil I’ve done, I’ll do it no more.’
Just because you refuse to live on God’s terms,
do you think he should start living on yours?
You choose. I can’t do it for you.
Tell me what you decide.
34-37 “All right-thinking people say—
and the wise who have listened to me concur—
‘Job is an ignoramus.
He talks utter nonsense.’
Job, you need to be pushed to the wall and called to account
for wickedly talking back to God the way you have.
You’ve compounded your original sin
by rebelling against God’s discipline,
Defiantly shaking your fist at God,
piling up indictments against the Almighty One.”
Job 34
King James Version
34 Furthermore Elihu answered and said,
2 Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.
4 Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.
6 Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.
7 What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
10 Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
16 If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.
17 Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
18 Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?
19 How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.
20 In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.
24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.
25 Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27 Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:
28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:
30 That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.
31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:
32 That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
33 Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.
34 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.
35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.
36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.
37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson