Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
Giobbe continuò a pronunziare le sue sentenze e disse:
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
Oh, potessi tornare com'ero ai mesi di un tempo, ai giorni in cui Dio mi proteggeva,
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.
quando brillava la sua lucerna sopra il mio capo e alla sua luce camminavo in mezzo alle tenebre;
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
com'ero ai giorni del mio autunno, quando Dio proteggeva la mia tenda,
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
quando l'Onnipotente era ancora con me e i giovani mi stavano attorno;
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
quando mi lavavo in piedi nel latte e la roccia mi versava ruscelli d'olio!
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
Quando uscivo verso la porta della città e sulla piazza ponevo il mio seggio:
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
vedendomi, i giovani si ritiravano e i vecchi si alzavano in piedi;
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
i notabili sospendevano i discorsi e si mettevan la mano sulla bocca;
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
la voce dei capi si smorzava e la loro lingua restava fissa al palato;
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,
con gli orecchi ascoltavano e mi dicevano felice, con gli occhi vedevano e mi rendevano testimonianza,
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.
perché soccorrevo il povero che chiedeva aiuto, l'orfano che ne era privo.
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 benedizione del morente scendeva su di me e al cuore della vedova infondevo la gioia.
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].
Mi ero rivestito di giustizia come di un vestimento; come mantello e turbante era la mia equità.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
Io ero gli occhi per il cieco, ero i piedi per lo zoppo.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
Padre io ero per i poveri ed esaminavo la causa dello sconosciuto;
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.
rompevo la mascella al perverso e dai suoi denti strappavo la preda.
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].’
Pensavo: «Spirerò nel mio nido e moltiplicherò come sabbia i miei giorni».
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
La mia radice avrà adito alle acque e la rugiada cadrà di notte sul mio ramo.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
La mia gloria sarà sempre nuova e il mio arco si rinforzerà nella mia mano.
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
Mi ascoltavano in attesa fiduciosa e tacevano per udire il mio consiglio.
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].
Dopo le mie parole non replicavano e su di loro scendevano goccia a goccia i miei detti.
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].
Mi attendevano come si attende la pioggia e aprivano la bocca come ad acqua primaverile.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Se a loro sorridevo, non osavano crederlo, né turbavano la serenità del mio volto.
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.”
Indicavo loro la via da seguire e sedevo come capo, e vi rimanevo come un re fra i soldati o come un consolatore d'afflitti.
