Job 29
1 Job reprit encore son discours et dit:
And Job again took up the word and said,
2 Oh! Qui me rendra les mois d'autrefois, les jours où Dieu veillait à ma garde;
If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!
3 quand sa lampe brillait sur ma tête, et que sa lumière me guidait dans les ténèbres!
When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
4 Tel que j'étais aux jours de mon âge mûr, quand Dieu me visitait familièrement dans ma tente,
As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
5 quand le Tout-Puissant était encore avec moi, et que mes fils m'entouraient;
While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
6 quand je lavais mes pieds dans le lait, et que le rocher me versait des flots d'huile!
When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
7 Lorsque je sortais pour me rendre à la porte de la ville, et que j'établissais mon siège sur la place publique,
When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
8 en me voyant, les jeunes gens se cachaient, les vieillards se levaient et se tenaient debout.
The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
9 Les princes retenaient leurs paroles, et mettaient leur main sur la bouche.
The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
10 La voix des chefs restait muette, leur langue s'attachait à leur palais.
The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.
11 L'oreille qui m'entendait me proclamait heureux, l'œil qui me voyait me rendait témoignage.
For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;
12 Car je sauvais le pauvre qui implorait du secours, et l'orphelin dénué de tout appui.
For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.
13 La bénédiction de celui qui allait périr venait sur moi, je remplissais de joie le cœur de la veuve.
The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.
14 Je me revêtais de la justice comme d'un vêtement, mon équité était mon manteau et mon turban.
I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.
15 J'étais l'œil de l'aveugle, et le pied du boiteux.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.
16 J'étais le père des pauvres, j'examinais avec soin la cause de l'inconnu.
I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
17 Je brisais la mâchoire de l'injuste, et j'arrachais sa proie d'entre les dents.
By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
18 Je disais: « Je mourrai dans mon nid, j'aurai des jours nombreux comme le sable.
Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
19 Mes racines s'étendent vers les eaux, la rosée passe la nuit dans mon feuillage.
My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
20 Ma gloire reverdira sans cesse, et mon arc reprendra sa vigueur dans ma main. »
My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
21 On m'écoutait et l'on attendait, on recueillait en silence mon avis.
Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
22 Après que j'avais parlé, personne n'ajoutait rien; ma parole coulait sur eux comme la rosée.
After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
23 Ils m'attendaient comme on attend la pluie; ils ouvraient la bouche comme aux ondées du printemps.
They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
24 Si je leur souriais, ils ne pouvaient le croire; ils recueillaient avidement ce signe de faveur.
I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
25 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.
I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
