Jòb 29
1 Jòb tanmen pale ankò, li di:
Job spoke again,
2 -Ki moun ki va fè m' viv tan lontan an, lè Bondye t'ap voye je sou mwen an?
“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
3 Lè sa a, Bondye te toujou la avèk mwen. Limyè li te klere anwo tèt mwen, li t'ap moutre m' kote pou m' mete pye m' nan fènwa a.
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 Nan tan sa a, tout zafè m' t'ap mache byen. Bondye te zanmi m'. Li t'ap pwoteje kay mwen.
At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
5 Bondye ki gen tout pouvwa a te toujou la avèk mwen. Mwen t'ap viv nan mitan tout pitit gason m' yo.
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 Bèf ak kabrit mwen yo te konn bay anpil lèt. Pye oliv mwen yo te donnen menm nan tè wòch.
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 Lè mwen parèt pòtay lavil la, lè mwen pran plas mwen nan mitan chèf fanmi yo,
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 wè yo wè m', jenn gason yo mete kò yo sou kote, granmoun yo leve kanpe pa respè pou mwen.
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 Notab yo sispann pale, yo fèmen bouch yo.
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 Ata chèf yo pa ka pale ankò! Lang yo vin lou nan bouch yo.
and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
11 Tout moun ki te wè m' t'ap mache fè lwanj mwen, tout moun ki te tande m' te kontan avè m'.
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 Mwen lonje men bay pòv malere ki nan ka ansanm ak timoun san papa ki san sekou.
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 Moun ki te nan pi gwo mizè t'ap fè lwanj mwen. Mwen te fè kè vèv yo kontan.
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 Mwen te toujou fè sa ki dwat. Mwen pa t' janm nan patipri.
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 Se mwen ki te wè pou avèg yo. Se mwen ki te mache pou kokobe yo.
[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
16 Mwen te yon papa pou pòv malere yo. Mwen te kanpe pou defann kòz etranje yo.
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 Mwen te kraze pouvwa malveyan yo. Mwen sove moun ki te anba men yo.
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 Mwen t'ap di nan kè m': M'a viv kont viv mwen. M'a mouri sou kabann mwen ak kè poze.
“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 Mwen te tankou yon pyebwa plante bò larivyè. Sou tout branch li yo se lawouze.
I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
20 Moun pa ta janm sispann fè lwanj mwen. Mwen t'ap toujou gen tout fòs mwen sou mwen.
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 Lè m'ap pale, tout moun fèmen bouch yo. Yo louvri zòrèy yo, y'ap tann konsa konsèy m'ap bay.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Pawòl mwen tonbe nan kè yo tankou grenn lapli. Lè m' fin pale, pesonn pa gen anyen pou di ankò.
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 Yo t'ap tann mwen pale tankou tè sèk k'ap tann lapli. Yo rete bouch louvri pou ranmase sa m'ap di.
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 Lè yo dekouraje, mwen fè yon ti ri ak yo. Sa te kont pou remoute kouraj yo.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
25 Mwen te kanpe alatèt yo. Mwen mennen yo tankou yon wa k'ap mennen sòlda li yo. Mwen di yo sa pou yo fè. Mwen te ba yo kouraj lè yo nan lafliksyon.
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.”
