Segunda prueba de Job
1Llegó el día en que los ángeles2:1 ángeles. Lit. hijos de Dios. fueron a presentarse ante el Señor y con ellos llegó también Satanás para comparecer ante el Señor. 2Y el Señor le preguntó:
—¿De dónde vienes?
—Vengo de rondar la tierra y de recorrerla de un extremo a otro —respondió Satanás.
3—¿Te has puesto a pensar en mi siervo Job? —volvió a preguntarle el Señor—. No hay en la tierra nadie como él; es un hombre íntegro e intachable, que me honra y vive apartado del mal. Y aunque tú me incitaste contra él para arruinarlo sin motivo, ¡todavía mantiene firme su integridad!
4—¡Una cosa por la otra! —respondió Satanás—. Con tal de salvar la vida, el hombre da todo lo que tiene. 5Pero extiende la mano y hiérelo, ¡a ver si no te maldice en tu propia cara!
6—Muy bien —dijo el Señor a Satanás—, Job está en tus manos. Eso sí, respeta su vida.
7Dicho esto, Satanás se retiró de la presencia del Señor para afligir a Job con dolorosas úlceras desde la planta del pie hasta la coronilla. 8Y Job, sentado en medio de las cenizas, tomó un pedazo de teja para rascarse.
9Su esposa le reprochó:
—¿Todavía mantienes firme tu integridad? ¡Maldice a Dios y muérete!
10Job respondió:
—Mujer, hablas como una necia. Si de Dios sabemos recibir lo bueno, ¿no sabremos recibir también lo malo?
A pesar de todo esto, Job no pecó ni de palabra.
Los tres amigos de Job
11Tres amigos de Job se enteraron de todo el mal que le había sobrevenido y, de común acuerdo, salieron de sus respectivos lugares para ir juntos a expresarle a Job sus condolencias y consuelo. Ellos eran Elifaz de Temán, Bildad de Súah y Zofar de Namat. 12Desde cierta distancia alcanzaron a verlo y casi no lo pudieron reconocer. Se echaron a llorar a voz en cuello, rasgando sus vestiduras y arrojándose polvo y ceniza sobre la cabeza,2:12 La expresión rasgando … cabeza alude al profundo dolor y consternación. 13y durante siete días y siete noches se sentaron en el suelo para hacerle compañía. Ninguno de ellos se atrevía a decirle nada, pues veían cuán grande era su sufrimiento.
1On another day angels came to the Lord. Satan also came to him along with them. 2The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered, “From traveling all around the earth. I’ve been going from one end of it to the other.”
3Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you thought about my servant Job? There isn’t anyone on earth like him. He is honest. He does what is right. He has respect for God and avoids evil. You tried to turn me against him. You wanted me to destroy him without any reason. But he still continues to be faithful.”
4Satan replied, “A man will give everything he has to save himself. So Job is willing to give up the lives of his family to save his own life. 5But now reach out your hand and strike his flesh and bones. Then I’m sure he will speak evil things against you. In fact, he’ll do it right in front of you.”
6The Lord said to Satan, “All right. I am handing him over to you. But you must spare his life.”
7Then Satan left the Lord and went on his way. He sent painful sores on Job. They covered him from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head. 8He got part of a broken pot. He used it to scrape his skin. He did it while he was sitting in ashes.
9His wife said to him, “Are you still continuing to be faithful to the Lord? Speak evil things against him and die!”
10Job replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. We accept good things from God. So we should also accept trouble when he sends it.”
In spite of everything, Job didn’t say anything that was sinful.
11Job had three friends named Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They heard about all the troubles that had come to Job. So they started out from their homes. They had agreed to meet together. They wanted to go and show their concern for Job. They wanted to comfort him. 12When they got closer to where he lived, they could see him. But they could hardly recognize him. They began to weep out loud. They tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him. That’s because they saw how much he was suffering.
