Job 29
1 Job prenant encore de nouveau sa parabole, dit:
And Job again took up the word and said,
2 Qui m’accordera que je sois comme dans les anciens mois, comme aux jours dans lesquels Dieu me gardait;
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 luisait sur ma tête, et qu’à sa lumière je marchais dans les ténèbres;
When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
4 Comme je fus aux jours de ma jeunesse, quand en secret Dieu était dans mon tabernacle;
As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
5 Quand le Tout-Puissant était avec moi, et qu’autour de moi étaient mes serviteurs;
While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
6 Quand je lavais mes pieds dans le beurre, et qu’une pierre répandait pour moi des ruisseaux d’huile;
When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
7 Quand je m’avançais vers la porte de la ville, et que sur la place publique on me préparait un siège?
When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
8 Les jeunes hommes me voyaient, et se retiraient à l’écart; et les vieillards, se levant, se tenaient debout.
The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
9 Les princes cessaient de parler, et mettaient un doigt sur leur bouche.
The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
10 Les grands retenaient leur voix, et 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 bienheureux, et 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 Parce que j’avais délivré le pauvre qui criait, et l’orphelin qui n’avait pas de soutien.
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, et je consolais 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 suis revêtu de la justice, et l’équité de mes jugements m’a servi comme de vêtement et de diadème.
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’ai été un œil pour l’aveugle, et un pied pour le boiteux.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.
16 J’étais le père des pauvres; et l’affaire que je ne connaissais pas, je l’étudiais avec le plus grand soin.
I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
17 Je brisais les mâchoires de l’injuste, et j’arrachais la proie de ses 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 Et je disais: C’est dans mon petit nid que je mourrai, et comme le palmier, je multiplierai mes jours.
Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
19 Ma racine s’étend le long des eaux, et la rosée se reposera sur ma moisson.
My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
20 Ma gloire se renouvellera tous les jours et mon arc se fortifiera dans ma main.
My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
21 Ceux qui m’écoutaient attendaient mon sentiment, et, attentifs, ils se tenaient en silence pour recevoir mon avis.
Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
22 Ils n’osaient rien ajouter à mes paroles, et mon discours coulait sur eux goutte à goutte.
After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
23 Ils me souhaitaient comme l’eau du ciel, et ils ouvraient leur bouche, comme la terre s’ouvre à la pluie de l’arrière-saison.
They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
24 Si quelquefois je leur souriais, ils ne le croyaient pas, et la lumière de mon visage ne tombait pas à terre.
I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
25 Si je voulais aller parmi eux, j’avais la première place; et lorsque j’étais assis comme un roi entouré de son armée, j’étais cependant le consolateur des affligés.
I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
