Job 29
1 Job went on speaking.
Addidit quoque Iob, assumens parabolam suam, et dixit:
2 “I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!
Quis mihi tribuat, ut sim iuxta menses pristinos secundum dies, quibus Deus custodiebat me?
3 His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.
Quando splendebat lucerna eius super caput meum, et ad lumen eius ambulabam in tenebris?
4 When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.
Sicut fui in diebus adolescentiæ meæ, quando secreto Deus erat in tabernaculo meo?
5 The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
Quando erat Omnipotens mecum: et in circuitu meo pueri mei?
6 My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
Quando lavabam pedes meos butyro, et petra fundebat mihi rivos olei?
7 I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
Quando procedebam ad portam civitatis, et in platea parabant cathedram mihi?
8 The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
Videbant me iuvenes, et abscondebantur: et senes assurgentes stabant.
9 The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
Principes cessabant loqui, et digitum superponebant ori suo.
10 The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
Vocem suam cohibebant duces, et lingua eorum gutturi suo adhærebat.
11 Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
Auris audiens beatificabat me, et oculus videns testimonium reddebat mihi.
12 because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.
Eo quod liberassem pauperem vociferantem, et pupillum, cui non esset adiutor.
13 Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.
Benedictio perituri super me veniebat, et cor viduæ consolatus sum.
14 Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
Iustitia indutus sum: et vestivi me, sicut vestimento et diademate, iudicio meo.
15 I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
Oculus fui cæco, et pes claudo.
16 I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
Pater eram pauperum: et causam quam nesciebam, diligentissime investigabam.
17 I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
Conterebam molas iniqui, et de dentibus illius auferebam prædam.
18 I thought I would die at home, after many years.
Dicebamque: In nidulo meo moriar, et sicut palma multiplicabo dies.
19 Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
Radix mea aperta est secus aquas, et ros morabitur in messione mea.
20 Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
Gloria mea semper innovabitur, et arcus meus in manu mea instaurabitur.
21 People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
Qui me audiebant, expectabant sententiam, et intenti tacebant ad consilium meum.
22 Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.
Verbis meis addere nihil audebant, et super illos stillabat eloquium meum.
23 They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
Expectabant me sicut pluviam, et os suum aperiebant quasi ad imbrem serotinum.
24 When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
Siquando ridebam ad eos, non credebant, et lux vultus mei non cadebat in terram.
25 I decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.
Si voluissem ire ad eos, sedebam primus: cumque sederem quasi rex, circumstante exercitu, eram tamen mœrentium consolator.
