Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
Et Job, ajoutant à ce qui précède, dit:
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
Qui me rendra les jours d'autrefois, le temps où Dieu prenait de soin de me garder?
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.
Alors sa lampe brillait sur ma tête: alors avec sa lumière je ne craignais pas de marcher dans les ténèbres.
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
Alors je foulais de mes pieds la voie; alors Dieu veillait sur ma maison.
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
Alors je m'asseyais à l'ombre de mes arbres, et mes enfants étaient autour de moi.
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
Alors mes sentiers ruisselaient de beurre et mes collines de lait.
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
Alors j'entrais dès l'aurore en la ville, et un siège m'était réservé sur les places.
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
Les jeunes gens à mon aspect se voilaient; et les anciens restaient debout.
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
Les forts cessaient de parler; ils se mettaient un doigt sur la bouche.
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
Attentifs à mes discours, ils me déclaraient heureux, après quoi leur langue était collée à leur gosier.
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,
L'oreille m'avait ouï et l'on me proclamait heureux; l'œil m'avait vu et l'on s'inclinait.
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.
Car j'avais délivré le pauvre des mains du riche; j'avais protégé l'orphelin qui manquait d'appui.
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 de l'abandonné s'adressait à moi; la bouche de la veuve aussi me bénissait.
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 m'étais revêtu de justice; je m'étais enveloppé d'équité comme d'un manteau double.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
J'étais l'œil de l'aveugle et le pied du boiteux.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
J'étais le père des faibles; j'étudiais des causes que je ne connaissais pas.
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.
Aussi j'ai brisé les mâchoires de l'injuste; j'ai arraché de ses dents la proie qu'il avait saisie.
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 j'ai dit: Mon âge se prolongera comme celui du palmier; ma vie sera de longue durée.
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
La racine se montrera hors de l'eau, et la rosée passera la nuit dans ma moisson.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
Ma gloire est pour moi chose vaine, et elle marche mon arc à la main.
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
A peine m'avait-on entendu que l'on s'attachait à moi; on gardait le silence en recueillant mes conseils.
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].
Nul n'ajoutait à mes discours, et les hommes étaient pleins de joie que je leur avais parlé.
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].
Comme la terre altérée reçoit la pluie, de même ils recevaient mes paroles.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Lorsque je riais avec eux, ils n'y pouvaient croire, et l'éclat de mon visage n'en était pas amoindri.
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.”
Je leur avais indiqué la voie, ils m'avaient institué leur chef, et ma demeure semblait celle d'un roi entouré de gardes ou d'un consolateur des affligés.
