Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
Job, poursuivant l’exposé de son thème, dit:
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
Ah! Que ne suis-je tel que j’étais aux temps passés, aux jours où Dieu me protégeait;
3 During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
où son flambeau brillait sur ma tête, et où sa lumière me guidait dans les ténèbres;
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
tel que j’étais aux jours de mon automne, alors que l’amitié de Dieu s’étendait sur ma demeure;
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
que le Tout-Puissant était encore avec moi et que j’étais entouré de mes jeunes gens;
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
quand je baignais mes pieds dans la crème, et que le rocher ruisselait pour moi de flots d’huile!
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
Quand je me dirigeais vers la Porte, au seuil de la cité, et fixais mon siège sur la place publique,
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
les jeunes, en me voyant, se cachaient; les vieillards se levaient et se tenaient debout.
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
Les grands retenaient leurs paroles et posaient la main sur la bouche.
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
La voix des seigneurs expirait sur leurs lèvres, et leur langue se collait à leur palais;
11 When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,
car l’oreille qui m’entendait me proclamait heureux, et l’œil qui me voyait rendait témoignage pour moi.
12 because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
C’Est que je sauvais le pauvre, criant au secours, et l’orphelin sans soutien.
13 Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
La bénédiction du désespéré allait à moi, et je mettais de la joie au cœur de la veuve.
14 I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
Je me revêtais d’équité comme d’une parure, mon esprit de justice était mon manteau et mon turban.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
J’Étais les yeux de l’aveugle, j’étais les pieds du boiteux.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
J’Étais un père pour les malheureux; la cause de l’inconnu, je l’étudiais à fond.
17 My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
Je brisais la mâchoire du malfaiteur, et j’arrachais la proie d’entre ses dents.
18 “At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
Et je disais: "Je finirai avec mon nid; comme le phénix je vivrai de longs jours.
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
Ma racine sera en contact avec l’eau, la rosée se posera, la nuit, sur mon branchage.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
Ma gloire se renouvellera sans cesse, et mon arc se rajeunira dans ma main."
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
Ils m’écoutaient, pleins d’attente; ils faisaient silence pour entendre mon avis.
22 After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
Quand j’avais fini de parler, ils ne répliquaient pas, et mes discours s’épandaient sur eux.
23 They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
Ils m’attendaient comme la pluie; ils ouvraient la bouche comme pour l’ondée printanière.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Je leur souriais et ils n’osaient y croire; jamais ils n’éteignaient le rayonnement de ma face.
25 I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
Volontiers j’allais vers eux, m’asseyant à leur tête, et j’étais comme un roi dans son armée, comme quelqu’un: qui console des affligés.
