Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
Job continua son discours sentencieux, et dit:
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
Oh! que ne suis-je comme aux mois d'autrefois, comme au jour où Dieu me gardait,
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.
Quand son flambeau luisait sur ma tête, quand je marchais à sa lumière dans les ténèbres;
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
Comme aux jours de mon automne, quand l'amitié de Dieu veillait sur ma tente;
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
Quand le Tout-Puissant était encore avec moi, et que mes jeunes gens m'entouraient;
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
Quand je lavais mes pieds dans le lait, et que le rocher se fondait près de moi en torrent d'huile!
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
Quand je sortais pour me rendre à la porte de la ville, et que je me faisais préparer un siège dans la place publique,
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
Les jeunes gens, me voyant, se retiraient; les vieillards se levaient et se tenaient debout.
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
Des princes s'arrêtaient de parler, et mettaient la main sur leur 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 chefs s'éteignait, et leur langue s'attachait 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 me rendait témoignage.
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 je délivrais l'affligé qui criait, et l'orphelin qui n'avait personne pour le secourir.
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 celui qui s'en allait périr venait sur moi, et je faisais chanter de joie le 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 de la justice, et elle se revêtait de moi. Mon équité était mon manteau et ma tiare.
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, et 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 le père des pauvres, et j'étudiais à fond la cause de l'inconnu.
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 les mâchoires de l'injuste, 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 mourrai avec mon nid, et je multiplierai mes jours comme le phénix.
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 exposée à l'eau, et la rosée passera la nuit dans mes branches.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
Ma gloire se renouvellera en moi, et mon arc se renforcera 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].
On m'écoutait, on attendait et on se taisait, jusqu'à ce que j'eusse donné 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].
Après que j'avais parlé, on ne répliquait pas, et ma parole découlait goutte à goutte 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, et ils ouvraient leur bouche comme pour une ondée tardive.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Je souriais quand ils étaient désespérés; et ils n'altéraient pas la sérénité de mon visage.
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.”
J'aimais à aller avec eux, et je m'asseyais à leur tête; je siégeais comme un roi au milieu de ses gardes, comme un consolateur au milieu des affligés.
