Job 29
1 Job prenant encore de nouveau sa parabole, dit:
Job spoke again,
2 Qui m’accordera que je sois comme dans les anciens mois, comme aux jours dans lesquels 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 luisait sur ma tête, et qu’à sa lumière je marchais 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 Comme je fus aux jours de ma jeunesse, quand en secret Dieu était dans mon tabernacle;
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 avec moi, et qu’autour de moi étaient mes serviteurs;
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 Quand je lavais mes pieds dans le beurre, et qu’une pierre répandait pour 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 Quand je m’avançais vers la porte de la ville, et que sur la place publique on me préparait un siège?
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 Les jeunes hommes me voyaient, et se retiraient à l’écart; et les vieillards, se levant, se tenaient debout.
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 Les princes cessaient de parler, et mettaient un doigt sur leur bouche.
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 Les grands retenaient leur voix, 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 proclamait bienheureux, et 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 Parce que j’avais délivré le pauvre qui criait, et l’orphelin qui n’avait pas de soutien.
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, et je consolais 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 suis revêtu de la justice, et l’équité de mes jugements m’a servi comme de vêtement et de diadème.
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’ai été un œil pour l’aveugle, et un pied pour le 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; et l’affaire que je ne connaissais pas, je l’étudiais avec le plus grand soin.
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 Je brisais les mâchoires de l’injuste, et j’arrachais la proie de ses 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 Et je disais: C’est dans mon petit nid que je mourrai, et comme le palmier, je multiplierai mes jours.
“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 Ma racine s’étend le long des eaux, et la rosée se reposera sur ma moisson.
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 se renouvellera tous les jours et mon arc se fortifiera dans ma main.
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 Ceux qui m’écoutaient attendaient mon sentiment, et, attentifs, ils se tenaient en silence pour recevoir 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 Ils n’osaient rien ajouter à mes paroles, et mon discours coulait sur eux goutte à goutte.
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 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 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 quelquefois je leur souriais, ils ne le croyaient pas, et la lumière de mon visage ne tombait pas à terre.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
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 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.”
