Job 29
1 Job reprit encore son discours et dit:
Job spoke again,
2 Oh! Qui me rendra les mois d’autrefois, les jours où Dieu veillait à ma garde;
“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
3 quand sa lampe brillait sur ma tête, et que sa lumière me guidait dans les ténèbres!
During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
4 Tel que j’étais aux jours de mon âge mûr, quand Dieu me visitait familièrement dans ma tente,
At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
5 quand le Tout-Puissant était encore avec moi, et que mes fils m’entouraient;
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 quand je lavais mes pieds dans le lait, et que le rocher me versait des flots d’huile!
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 Lorsque je sortais pour me rendre à la porte de la ville, et que j’établissais mon siège sur la place publique,
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 en me voyant, les jeunes gens se cachaient, les vieillards se levaient et se tenaient debout.
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 Les princes retenaient leurs paroles, et mettaient leur main sur la bouche.
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 La voix des chefs restait muette, leur langue s’attachait à leur palais.
and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
11 L’oreille qui m’entendait me proclamait heureux, l’œil qui me voyait me rendait témoignage.
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,
12 Car je sauvais le pauvre qui implorait du secours, et l’orphelin dénué de tout appui.
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.
13 La bénédiction de celui qui allait périr venait sur moi, je remplissais de joie le cœur de la veuve.
Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
14 Je me revêtais de la justice comme d’un vêtement, mon équité était mon manteau et mon turban.
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].
15 J’étais l’œil de l’aveugle, et le pied du boiteux.
[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
16 J’étais le père des pauvres, j’examinais avec soin la cause de l’inconnu.
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 Je brisais la mâchoire de l’injuste, et j’arrachais sa proie d’entre les dents.
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.
18 Je disais: « Je mourrai dans mon nid, j’aurai des jours nombreux comme le sable.
“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].’
19 Mes racines s’étendent vers les eaux, la rosée passe la nuit dans mon feuillage.
I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
20 Ma gloire reverdira sans cesse, et mon arc reprendra sa vigueur dans ma main. »
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 On m’écoutait et l’on attendait, on recueillait en silence mon avis.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Après que j’avais parlé, personne n’ajoutait rien; ma parole coulait sur eux comme la rosée.
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].
23 Ils m’attendaient comme on attend la pluie; ils ouvraient la bouche comme aux ondées du printemps.
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].
24 Si je leur souriais, ils ne pouvaient le croire; ils recueillaient avidement ce signe de faveur.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
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 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.”
