1 Y RESPONDIO Job, y dijo:2 Muchas veces he oído cosas como estas: Consoladores molestos sois todos vosotros.3 ¿Tendrán fin las palabras ventosas? O ¿qué te animará á responder?4 También yo hablaría como vosotros. Ojalá vuestra alma estuviera en lugar de la mía, Que yo os tendría compañía en las palabras, Y sobre vosotros movería mi cabeza.5 Mas yo os alentaría con mis palabras, Y la consolación de mis labios apaciguaría el dolor vuestro.6 Si hablo, mi dolor no cesa; Y si dejo de hablar, no se aparta de mí.7 Empero ahora me ha fatigado: Has tú asolado toda mi compañía.8 Tú me has arrugado; testigo es mi flacura, Que se levanta contra mí para testificar en mi rostro.9 Su furor me destrizó, y me ha sido contrario: Crujió sus dientes contra mí; Contra mí aguzó sus ojos mi enemigo.10 Abrieron contra mí su boca; Hirieron mis mejillas con afrenta; Contra mí se juntaron todos.11 Hame entregado Dios al mentiroso, Y en las manos de los impíos me hizo estremecer.12 Próspero estaba, y desmenuzóme: Y arrebatóme por la cerviz, y despedazóme, Y púsome por blanco suyo.13 Cercáronme sus flecheros, Partió mis riñones, y no perdonó: Mi hiel derramó por tierra.14 Quebrantóme de quebranto sobre quebranto; Corrió contra mí como un gigante.15 Yo cosí saco sobre mi piel, Y cargué mi cabeza de polvo.16 Mi rostro está enlodado con lloro, Y mis párpados entenebrecidos:17 A pesar de no haber iniquidad en mis manos, Y de haber sido mi oración pura.18 Oh tierra! no cubras mi sangre, Y no haya lugar á mi clamor.19 Mas he aquí que en los cielos está mi testigo, Y mi testimonio en las alturas.20 Disputadores son mis amigos: Mas á Dios destilarán mis ojos.21 Ojalá pudiese disputar el hombre con Dios, Como con su prójimo!22 Mas los años contados vendrán, Y yo iré el camino por donde no volveré.

1 And Job made answer and said,2 Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.3 May words which are like the wind be stopped? or what is troubling you to make answer to them?4 It would not be hard for me to say such things if your souls were in my soul's place; joining words together against you, and shaking my head at you:5 I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.6 If I say what is in my mind, my pain becomes no less: and if I keep quiet, how much of it goes from me?7 But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.8 It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.9 I am broken by his wrath, and his hate has gone after me; he has made his teeth sharp against me: my haters are looking on me with cruel eyes;10 Their mouths are open wide against me; the blows of his bitter words are falling on my face; all of them come together in a mass against me.11 God gives me over to the power of sinners, sending me violently into the hands of evil-doers.12 I was in comfort, but I have been broken up by his hands; he has taken me by the neck, shaking me to bits; he has put me up as a mark for his arrows.13 His bowmen come round about me; their arrows go through my body without mercy; my life is drained out on the earth.14 I am broken with wound after wound; he comes rushing on me like a man of war.15 I have made haircloth the clothing of my skin, and my horn is rolled in the dust.16 My face is red with weeping, and my eyes are becoming dark;17 Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.18 O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!19 Even now my witness is in heaven, and the supporter of my cause is on high.20 My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,21 So that he may give decision for a man in his cause with God, and between a son of man and his neighbour.22 For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.