Job 29

1 And Job adds to lift up his allegory and says:

約伯繼續他的言論說：

2 “Who makes me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God’s preserving me?

誰能賜我似以前的歲月，像以往天主護守我的時日呢﹖

3 In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.

那時他的燈，光照在我頭上，藉他的光明，我走過黑暗。

4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God on my tent.

惟願我如壯年之時，那時天主護佑我的帳幕；

5 When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Around me—my young ones,

全能者與我相偕，我的子女環繞著我；

6 When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me—streams of oil.

那時我以奶油洗腳，崖石流油成河。

7 When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

當我走出城門，在市井設我座位之時，

8 Youths have seen me, and they have been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up.

少年人看見我都迴避，老年人都起身站立；

9 Princes have kept in words, And they place a hand on their mouth.

王侯停止講話，用手堵住自己的口；

10 The voice of leaders has been hidden, And their tongue has cleaved to the palate.

首領不敢出聲，舌頭緊貼上顎。

11 For the ear heard, and declares me blessed, And the eye has seen, and testifies [to] me.

凡有耳聽見我的，必稱我有福；凡有眼看見我的，都必稱讚我。

12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who has no helper.

因為我援助了呼救的窮人，和無依無靠的孤兒。

13 The blessing of the perishing comes on me, And I cause the heart of the widow to sing.

那受喪亡之痛的人稱謝我，我使寡婦的心歡樂。

14 I have put on righteousness, and it clothes me, My justice as a robe and a crown.

我披上正義，正義就如我衣；我的公正，猶如我的長袍和冠冕。

15 I have been eyes to the blind, And I [am] feet to the lame.

我作了盲人的眼，跛者的腳。

16 I [am] a father to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

我成了窮人之父，我調查過素不相識者的案件。

17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

我打碎惡人的燎牙，由他牙齒中奪出了獵物。

18 And I say, I expire with my nest, And I multiply days as the sand.

我心想：我必壽終正寢，我的壽數必如塵沙。

19 My root is open to the waters, And dew lodges on my branch.

我的根蔓延到水邊，夜間甘露落在我的枝葉上。

20 My glory [is] fresh with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.

我的榮耀不斷更新，我手中的弓日新月異。

21 They have listened to me, Indeed, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

聽我講話的人，屏息等待，靜聽我的指教。

22 After my word they do not change, And my speech drops on them,

我講話之後，無人再敢講話，我的話像水珠滴在他們身上。

23 And they wait for me as [for] rain, And they have opened wide their mouth [As] for the spring rain.

他們期待我如望甘霖，張著大口如渴盼春雨。

24 I laugh at them—they give no credence, And do not cause the light of my face to fall.

我向他們微笑，他們不敢相信；我和善的面容，他們必不放過。

25 I choose their way, and sit [as] head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When he comforts mourners.”

我為他們選擇了道路，身居前導，一如立在軍中的君王；我引他們到那裏，他們就去。