Job 29
1 Job resumed speaking and said,
Job reprit encore son discours et dit:
2 “Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,
Oh! Qui me rendra les mois d’autrefois, les jours où Dieu veillait à ma garde;
3 when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
quand sa lampe brillait sur ma tête, et que sa lumière me guidait dans les ténèbres!
4 Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on my tent,
Tel que j’étais aux jours de mon âge mûr, quand Dieu me visitait familièrement dans ma tente,
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
quand le Tout-Puissant était encore avec moi, et que mes fils m’entouraient;
6 when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
quand je lavais mes pieds dans le lait, et que le rocher me versait des flots d’huile!
7 When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
Lorsque je sortais pour me rendre à la porte de la ville, et que j’établissais mon siège sur la place publique,
8 the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
en me voyant, les jeunes gens se cachaient, les vieillards se levaient et se tenaient debout.
9 The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
Les princes retenaient leurs paroles, et mettaient leur main sur la bouche.
10 The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
La voix des chefs restait muette, leur langue s’attachait à leur palais.
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
L’oreille qui m’entendait me proclamait heureux, l’œil qui me voyait me rendait témoignage.
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.
Car je sauvais le pauvre qui implorait du secours, et l’orphelin dénué de tout appui.
13 The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
La bénédiction de celui qui allait périr venait sur moi, je remplissais de joie le cœur de la veuve.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
Je me revêtais de la justice comme d’un vêtement, mon équité était mon manteau et mon turban.
15 I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
J’étais l’œil de l’aveugle, et le pied du boiteux.
16 I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
J’étais le père des pauvres, j’examinais avec soin la cause de l’inconnu.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.
Je brisais la mâchoire de l’injuste, et j’arrachais sa proie d’entre les dents.
18 Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
Je disais: « Je mourrai dans mon nid, j’aurai des jours nombreux comme le sable.
19 My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
Mes racines s’étendent vers les eaux, la rosée passe la nuit dans mon feuillage.
20 The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
Ma gloire reverdira sans cesse, et mon arc reprendra sa vigueur dans ma main. »
21 To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
On m’écoutait et l’on attendait, on recueillait en silence mon avis.
22 After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.
Après que j’avais parlé, personne n’ajoutait rien; ma parole coulait sur eux comme la rosée.
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.
Ils m’attendaient comme on attend la pluie; ils ouvraient la bouche comme aux ondées du printemps.
24 I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.
Si je leur souriais, ils ne pouvaient le croire; ils recueillaient avidement ce signe de faveur.
25 I selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.
Quand j’allais vers eux, j’avais la première place, je siégeais comme un roi entouré de sa troupe, comme un consolateur au milieu des affligés.
