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Consuelos vanos para la miseria humana

Job respondió así:
Si se pudiera calcular mi dolor
junto con mis males en una balanza,
pesarían más que la arena del mar;
por eso desatino al hablar.
Llevo clavadas en mí
las flechas del Todopoderoso;
mi garganta absorbe su veneno,
los terrores de Dios me acechan.
¿Rebuzna el onagro al ver la hierba?,
¿muge el buey a la vista del forraje?
¿Come alguien lo soso sin sal
o saca gusto al jugo de malva?
Lo que mi boca se negaba a comer
es ahora mi alimento de enfermo.
Ojalá se cumpliese mi petición
y Dios respondiese a mi esperanza:
que tuviese a bien triturarme
y arrancase mi trama con su mano.
10 Me serviría por lo menos de consuelo,
aun torturado sin piedad me alegraría
pues nunca he rechazado las palabras del Santo.
11 ¿Me quedan fuerzas para esperar
o tengo una meta que me impulsa a seguir?
12 ¿Soy acaso fuerte como las rocas
o es acaso mi cuerpo de bronce?
13 Ya no puedo valerme por mí mismo
y no espero que alguien me auxilie.
14 El enfermo cuenta con la piedad de su amigo,
aunque no tema al Todopoderoso;
15 pero mis hermanos me engañan como un torrente,
como una rambla cuando ha pasado la riada.
16 Cuando se funde el hielo [los torrentes] bajan turbios,
crecidos con la nieve derretida;
17 pero llega el estiaje y se secan,
el calor reseca su cauce;
18 las huellas de su curso se difuminan,
desaparecen cuando penetran en el desierto.
19 Los divisan las caravanas de Temá,
los buscan los comerciantes de Sabá;
20 mas su esperanza acaba frustrada:
al llegar se sienten defraudados.
21 También vosotros sois nada,
veis un desastre y tembláis.
22 ¿Acaso os he pedido algo
o me he aprovechado de vuestros bienes
23 para que me librarais de manos enemigas
o me rescataseis de manos violentas?
24 Si me explicáis las cosas, callaré;
hacedme ver en qué me he equivocado;
25 los argumentos razonados persuaden,
¿pero qué demuestran vuestras razones?
26 ¡Creéis que un discurso zanja una cuestión
y que sólo es viento la voz desesperada!
27 Seríais capaces de rifaros un huérfano,
de poner precio a vuestro propio amigo.
28 Miradme ahora frente a frente,
que no he de mentiros a la cara.
29 Volved, y que no haya trampas;
volved, que sigue intacta mi honradez.
30 ¿Percibís malicia en mi lengua?
¿No distingo lo que es falso cuando hablo?

約伯回答說:
「惟願我的煩惱被秤一秤,
我一切的災害放在天平裏,
現今都比海沙更重,
所以我說話急躁。
因全能者的箭射中了我,
我的靈喝盡其毒;
 神的驚嚇擺陣攻擊我。
野驢有草豈會叫喚?
牛有飼料豈會吼叫?
食物淡而無鹽豈可吃呢?
蛋白有甚麼滋味呢?
那些可厭的食物,
我心不肯挨近。

「惟願我得着所求的,
 神賞賜我所切望的,
願 神把我壓碎,
伸手將我剪除。
10 我因沒有違棄那聖者的言語,
就仍以此為安慰,
在不止息的痛苦中還可歡躍。
11 我有甚麼氣力使我等候?
我有甚麼結局使我忍耐?
12 我的氣力豈是石頭的氣力?
我的肉身豈是銅呢?
13 在我裏面豈不是無助嗎?
智慧豈不是從我心中被趕逐嗎?

14 「灰心的人,他的朋友當以慈愛待他,
因為他將離棄敬畏全能者的心。
15 我的弟兄詭詐,好像河道,
像溪水流過的河床,
16 因結冰而混濁,
有雪藏在其中,
17 暖和的時候就溶化,
炎熱時便從原處乾涸。
18 商隊偏離道路,
上到荒涼之地而死亡。
19 提瑪的商隊瞻望,
示巴的旅客等候。
20 他們因希望落空就抱愧,
來到那裏便蒙羞。
21 現在你們正是這樣[a]
看見驚嚇的事就懼怕。
22 我豈說:『請你們供給我,
從你們的財物中送禮給我』?
23 或說:『請你們拯救我脫離敵人的手,
救贖我脫離殘暴人的手』嗎?

24 「請你們指教我,我就不作聲;
我在何事上有錯,請使我明白。
25 正直言語的力量何其大!
但你們責備是責備甚麼呢?
26 絕望人的講論既然如風,
你們還計劃批駁言語嗎?
27 你們甚至為孤兒抽籤,
把朋友當貨物。

28 「現在,請你們看着我,
我絕不當面說謊。
29 請你們轉意,不要不公義;
請再轉意,正義在我這裏。
30 我的舌頭豈有不公義嗎?
我的上膛豈不辨奸惡嗎?」

Footnotes

  1. 6.21 「你們正是這樣」:原文另譯「你們算不得甚麼」。

Job

Then Job replied:

“If only my anguish could be weighed
    and all my misery be placed on the scales!(A)
It would surely outweigh the sand(B) of the seas—
    no wonder my words have been impetuous.(C)
The arrows(D) of the Almighty(E) are in me,(F)
    my spirit drinks(G) in their poison;(H)
    God’s terrors(I) are marshaled against me.(J)
Does a wild donkey(K) bray(L) when it has grass,
    or an ox bellow when it has fodder?(M)
Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
    or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow[a]?(N)
I refuse to touch it;
    such food makes me ill.(O)

“Oh, that I might have my request,
    that God would grant what I hope for,(P)
that God would be willing to crush(Q) me,
    to let loose his hand and cut off my life!(R)
10 Then I would still have this consolation(S)
    my joy in unrelenting pain(T)
    that I had not denied the words(U) of the Holy One.(V)

11 “What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
    What prospects, that I should be patient?(W)
12 Do I have the strength of stone?
    Is my flesh bronze?(X)
13 Do I have any power to help myself,(Y)
    now that success has been driven from me?

14 “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend(Z)
    forsakes the fear of the Almighty.(AA)
15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,(AB)
    as the streams that overflow
16 when darkened by thawing ice
    and swollen with melting snow,(AC)
17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,
    and in the heat(AD) vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;
    they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema(AE) look for water,
    the traveling merchants of Sheba(AF) look in hope.
20 They are distressed, because they had been confident;
    they arrive there, only to be disappointed.(AG)
21 Now you too have proved to be of no help;
    you see something dreadful and are afraid.(AH)
22 Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
    pay a ransom(AI) for me from your wealth,(AJ)
23 deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
    rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?(AK)

24 “Teach me, and I will be quiet;(AL)
    show me where I have been wrong.(AM)
25 How painful are honest words!(AN)
    But what do your arguments prove?
26 Do you mean to correct what I say,
    and treat my desperate words as wind?(AO)
27 You would even cast lots(AP) for the fatherless(AQ)
    and barter away your friend.

28 “But now be so kind as to look at me.
    Would I lie to your face?(AR)
29 Relent, do not be unjust;(AS)
    reconsider, for my integrity(AT) is at stake.[b](AU)
30 Is there any wickedness on my lips?(AV)
    Can my mouth not discern(AW) malice?

Footnotes

  1. Job 6:6 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  2. Job 6:29 Or my righteousness still stands

But Job answered and said,

Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

10 Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

11 What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?

13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

22 Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?