Job 29
1 Job prit de nouveau la parole sous forme sentencieuse et dit:
Job spoke again,
2 Oh! Que ne puis-je être comme aux mois du passé, Comme aux jours où Dieu me gardait,
“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 Que ne suis-je comme aux jours de ma vigueur, Où Dieu veillait en ami sur 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 enfants m’entouraient;
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 Quand mes pieds se baignaient dans la crème Et que le rocher répandait près de moi des ruisseaux d’huile!
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 Si je sortais pour aller à la porte de la ville, Et si je me faisais préparer un siège dans la place,
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 Les jeunes gens se retiraient à mon approche, 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 arrêtaient leurs discours, Et mettaient la main sur leur bouche;
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 La voix des chefs se taisait, Et 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 disait 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 qui manquait d’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 du malheureux 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 et je lui servais de vêtement, J’avais ma droiture pour manteau et pour 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 misérables, J’examinais 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 de ses dents la proie.
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 Alors je disais: Je mourrai dans mon nid, Mes jours seront abondants 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 L’eau pénétrera dans mes racines, La rosée passera la nuit sur mes branches;
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 rajeunira dans ma main.
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 On m’écoutait et l’on restait dans l’attente, On gardait le silence devant mes conseils.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Après mes discours, nul ne répliquait, Et ma parole était pour tous une bienfaisante 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 comptaient sur moi comme sur la pluie, Ils ouvraient la bouche comme pour une pluie 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 Je leur souriais quand ils perdaient courage, Et l’on ne pouvait chasser la sérénité de mon front.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
25 J’aimais à aller vers eux, et je m’asseyais à leur tête; J’étais comme un roi au milieu d’une troupe, Comme un consolateur auprès 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.”
