Job 29
1 Job resumed speaking and said,
約伯繼續他的言論說：
2 “Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,
誰能賜我似以前的歲月，像以往天主護守我的時日呢﹖
3 when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
那時他的燈，光照在我頭上，藉他的光明，我走過黑暗。
4 Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on my tent,
惟願我如壯年之時，那時天主護佑我的帳幕；
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
全能者與我相偕，我的子女環繞著我；
6 when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
那時我以奶油洗腳，崖石流油成河。
7 When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
當我走出城門，在市井設我座位之時，
8 the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
少年人看見我都迴避，老年人都起身站立；
9 The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
王侯停止講話，用手堵住自己的口；
10 The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
首領不敢出聲，舌頭緊貼上顎。
11 For after their ears heard me, they would then bless me; after their eyes saw me, they would then give witness to me and approve of 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 because I rescued the one who was poor when he cried out, and the one who had no father when he had no one to help him.
因為我援助了呼救的窮人，和無依無靠的孤兒。
13 The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
那受喪亡之痛的人稱謝我，我使寡婦的心歡樂。
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
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 was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
我作了盲人的眼，跛者的腳。
16 I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
我成了窮人之父，我調查過素不相識者的案件。
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.
我打碎惡人的燎牙，由他牙齒中奪出了獵物。
18 Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
我心想：我必壽終正寢，我的壽數必如塵沙。
19 My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
我的根蔓延到水邊，夜間甘露落在我的枝葉上。
20 The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
我的榮耀不斷更新，我手中的弓日新月異。
21 To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
聽我講話的人，屏息等待，靜聽我的指教。
22 After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water 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 They always waited for me as they waited for rain; they opened their mouth wide to drink in my words, as they would do for the latter rain.
他們期待我如望甘霖，張著大口如渴盼春雨。
24 I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.
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 selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who 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。
