Job 29
1 Job went on speaking.
addidit quoque Iob adsumens 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 adulescentiae meae 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 adsurgentes 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 adherebat
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.
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 viduae consolatus sum
14 Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
iustitia indutus sum et vestivit me sicut vestimento et diademate iudicio meo
15 I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
oculus fui caeco 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 praedam
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.
si quando 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 maerentium consolator
