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Job argumenta contra Dios

¿No es acaso brega la vida del hombre sobre la tierra,

Y sus días como los días del jornalero?

Como el siervo suspira por la sombra,

Y como el jornalero espera el reposo de su trabajo,

Así he recibido meses de calamidad,

Y noches de trabajo me dieron por cuenta.

Cuando estoy acostado, digo: ¿Cuándo me levantaré?

Mas la noche es larga, y estoy lleno de inquietudes hasta el alba.

Mi carne está vestida de gusanos, y de costras de polvo;

Mi piel hendida y abominable.

Y mis días fueron más veloces que la lanzadera del tejedor,

Y fenecieron sin esperanza.

Acuérdate que mi vida es un soplo,

Y que mis ojos no volverán a ver el bien.

Los ojos de los que me ven, no me verán más;

Fijarás en mí tus ojos, y dejaré de ser.

Como la nube se desvanece y se va,

Así el que desciende al Seol no subirá;

10 No volverá más a su casa,

Ni su lugar le conocerá más.

11 Por tanto, no refrenaré mi boca;

Hablaré en la angustia de mi espíritu,

Y me quejaré con la amargura de mi alma.

12 ¿Soy yo el mar, o un monstruo marino,

Para que me pongas guarda?

13 Cuando digo: Me consolará mi lecho,

Mi cama atenuará mis quejas;

14 Entonces me asustas con sueños,

Y me aterras con visiones.

15 Y así mi alma tuvo por mejor la estrangulación,

Y quiso la muerte más que mis huesos.

16 Abomino de mi vida; no he de vivir para siempre;

Déjame, pues, porque mis días son vanidad.

17 ¿Qué es el hombre, para que lo engrandezcas,

Y para que pongas sobre él tu corazón,(A)

18 Y lo visites todas las mañanas,

Y todos los momentos lo pruebes?

19 ¿Hasta cuándo no apartarás de mí tu mirada,

Y no me soltarás siquiera hasta que trague mi saliva?

20 Si he pecado, ¿qué puedo hacerte a ti, oh Guarda de los hombres?

¿Por qué me pones por blanco tuyo,

Hasta convertirme en una carga para mí mismo?

21 ¿Y por qué no quitas mi rebelión, y perdonas mi iniquidad?

Porque ahora dormiré en el polvo,

Y si me buscares de mañana, ya no existiré.

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;

14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling.

As a servant longeth for the shade, as the hireling looketh for the end of his work;

So I also have had empty months, and have numbered to myself wearisome nights.

If I lie down to sleep, I shall say: When shall arise? and again I shall look for the evening, and shall be filled with sorrows even till darkness.

My flesh is clothed with rottenness and the filth of dust, my skin is withered and drawn together.

My days have passed more swiftly than the web is cut by the weaver, and are consumed without any hope.

Remember that my life is but wind, and my eyes shall not return to see good things.

Nor shall the sight of man behold me: thy eyes are upon me, and I shall be no more.

As a cloud is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shall go down to hell shall not come up.

10 Nor shall he return my more into his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

11 Wherefore I will not spare my month, I will speak in the affliction of my spirit: I will talk with the bitterness of my soul.

12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou hast enclosed me in a prison?

13 If I say: My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved speaking with myself on my couch:

14 Thou wilt frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions.

15 So that my soul rather chooseth hanging, and my bones death.

16 I have done with hope, I shall now live no longer: spare me, for my days are nothing.

17 What is a man that thou shouldst magnify him? or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?

18 Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.

19 How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle?

20 I have sinned: what shall I do to thee, O keeper of men? why hast thou set me opposite to thee, and I am become burdensome to myself?

21 Why dost thou not remove my sin, and why dost thou not take away my iniquity? Behold now I shall sleep in the dust: and if thou seek me in the morning, I shall not be.

Job Acknowledges the Brevity of Life

“Men have harsh servitude on earth, do they not?
    His days are like those of a hired laborer, are they not?[a]
I’m like a servant who longs for the shade,
    like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages.
Truly I’ve been allotted months of emptiness;
    nights of trouble have been appointed for me.

“When I lie down I ask,
    ‘When will I wake up?’
But the night continues
    and I keep tossing and turning until dawn.[b]
My skin[c] is covered with worms and clods of dirt;
    my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh.
My days pass as swiftly as a hand-loom;
    they come to their conclusion without hope.
Remember that my life is a breath;
    my eyes won’t go back to seeing good things.[d]
The eyes of the one who sees me won’t see me anymore;
    your eyes will look[e] for me
        but I won’t be around![f]
As a cloud fades away and vanishes,
    the one who descends to the afterlife[g] doesn’t return.[h]
10 He doesn’t return again to his house,
    and his place won’t recognize him anymore.”

Job Intends to Complain

11 “In addition, I won’t keep my opinion[i] to myself;
    I’ll speak from my distressed spirit;
        I’ll complain with my bitter soul.
12 Am I the sea, or a sea monster,
    that you keep watching me?
13 For I’ve said, ‘My bed will comfort me;
    my couch will ease my burdens[j] while I complain.’
14 But then you scared me with dreams;
    you terrified me with visions.
15 I would rather die by strangulation
    than continue living.[k]
16 I hate the thought of living forever!
    Leave me alone, because my days are pointless.”

Job Acknowledges Humankind’s Insignificance

17 “What is a human being, that you make so much of him;
    that you set your affections on him,
18 visit him every morning,
    and test him continually?
19 Why won’t you look away from me?
    Why don’t you leave me alone so I can swallow my saliva?
20 So what if I sin? What have I done against you,
    you observer of humankind?
Why have you made me your target?
    Why burden yourself with me?
21 Why haven’t you pardoned my transgression
    and taken away my iniquity?
Now I’m about to lie down in the dust.
    You will seek me diligently,
        but I won’t be around!”[l]

Footnotes

  1. Job 7:1 Or hireling
  2. Job 7:4 Or twilight
  3. Job 7:5 Or flesh
  4. Job 7:7 The Heb. lacks things
  5. Job 7:8 The Heb. lacks will look
  6. Job 7:8 The Heb. lacks around
  7. Job 7:9 Lit. Sheol; i.e. the dwelling place of the dead
  8. Job 7:9 Lit. doesn’t come back up
  9. Job 7:11 Lit. mouth
  10. Job 7:13 Or carry
  11. Job 7:15 Lit. my bones
  12. Job 7:21 The Heb. lacks around