Job 29
1 Et Job, ajoutant à ce qui précède, dit:
And Job again took up the word and said,
2 Qui me rendra les jours d'autrefois, le temps où Dieu prenait de soin de me garder?
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 Alors sa lampe brillait sur ma tête: alors avec sa lumière je ne craignais pas de marcher dans les ténèbres.
When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
4 Alors je foulais de mes pieds la voie; alors Dieu veillait sur ma maison.
As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
5 Alors je m'asseyais à l'ombre de mes arbres, et mes enfants étaient autour de moi.
While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
6 Alors mes sentiers ruisselaient de beurre et mes collines de lait.
When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
7 Alors j'entrais dès l'aurore en la ville, et un siège m'était réservé sur les places.
When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
8 Les jeunes gens à mon aspect se voilaient; et les anciens restaient debout.
The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
9 Les forts cessaient de parler; ils se mettaient un doigt sur la bouche.
The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
10 Attentifs à mes discours, ils me déclaraient heureux, après quoi leur langue était collée à leur gosier.
The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.
11 L'oreille m'avait ouï et l'on me proclamait heureux; l'œil m'avait vu et l'on s'inclinait.
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 j'avais délivré le pauvre des mains du riche; j'avais protégé l'orphelin qui manquait d'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 l'abandonné s'adressait à moi; la bouche de la veuve aussi me bénissait.
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 m'étais revêtu de justice; je m'étais enveloppé d'équité comme d'un manteau double.
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 faibles; j'étudiais des causes que je ne connaissais pas.
I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
17 Aussi j'ai brisé les mâchoires de l'injuste; j'ai arraché de ses dents la proie qu'il avait saisie.
By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
18 Et j'ai dit: Mon âge se prolongera comme celui du palmier; ma vie sera de longue durée.
Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
19 La racine se montrera hors de l'eau, et la rosée passera la nuit dans ma moisson.
My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
20 Ma gloire est pour moi chose vaine, et elle marche mon arc à la main.
My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
21 A peine m'avait-on entendu que l'on s'attachait à moi; on gardait le silence en recueillant mes conseils.
Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
22 Nul n'ajoutait à mes discours, et les hommes étaient pleins de joie que je leur avais parlé.
After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
23 Comme la terre altérée reçoit la pluie, de même ils recevaient mes paroles.
They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
24 Lorsque je riais avec eux, ils n'y pouvaient croire, et l'éclat de mon visage n'en était pas amoindri.
I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
25 Je leur avais indiqué la voie, ils m'avaient institué leur chef, et ma demeure semblait celle d'un roi entouré de gardes ou d'un consolateur des affligés.
I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
