Jòb 29
1 Jòb tanmen pale ankò, li di:
Job resumed speaking and said,
2 -Ki moun ki va fè m' viv tan lontan an, lè Bondye t'ap voye je sou mwen an?
“Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for 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.
when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
4 Nan tan sa a, tout zafè m' t'ap mache byen. Bondye te zanmi m'. Li t'ap pwoteje kay mwen.
Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on 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.
when the Almighty was yet with me, and 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.
when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 Lè mwen parèt pòtay lavil la, lè mwen pran plas mwen nan mitan chèf fanmi yo,
When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
8 wè yo wè m', jenn gason yo mete kò yo sou kote, granmoun yo leve kanpe pa respè pou mwen.
the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
9 Notab yo sispann pale, yo fèmen bouch yo.
The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
10 Ata chèf yo pa ka pale ankò! Lang yo vin lou nan bouch yo.
The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
11 Tout moun ki te wè m' t'ap mache fè lwanj mwen, tout moun ki te tande m' te kontan avè m'.
For after their ears heard me, they would then bless me; after their eyes saw me, they would then give witness to me and approve of me
12 Mwen lonje men bay pòv malere ki nan ka ansanm ak timoun san papa ki san sekou.
because I rescued the one who was poor when he cried out, and the one who had no father when he had no one to help him.
13 Moun ki te nan pi gwo mizè t'ap fè lwanj mwen. Mwen te fè kè vèv yo kontan.
The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 Mwen te toujou fè sa ki dwat. Mwen pa t' janm nan patipri.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 Se mwen ki te wè pou avèg yo. Se mwen ki te mache pou kokobe yo.
I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
16 Mwen te yon papa pou pòv malere yo. Mwen te kanpe pou defann kòz etranje yo.
I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
17 Mwen te kraze pouvwa malveyan yo. Mwen sove moun ki te anba men yo.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.
18 Mwen t'ap di nan kè m': M'a viv kont viv mwen. M'a mouri sou kabann mwen ak kè poze.
Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
19 Mwen te tankou yon pyebwa plante bò larivyè. Sou tout branch li yo se lawouze.
My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
20 Moun pa ta janm sispann fè lwanj mwen. Mwen t'ap toujou gen tout fòs mwen sou mwen.
The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
21 Lè m'ap pale, tout moun fèmen bouch yo. Yo louvri zòrèy yo, y'ap tann konsa konsèy m'ap bay.
To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
22 Pawòl mwen tonbe nan kè yo tankou grenn lapli. Lè m' fin pale, pesonn pa gen anyen pou di ankò.
After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.
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 always waited for me as they waited for rain; they opened their mouth wide to drink in my words, as they would do for the latter rain.
24 Lè yo dekouraje, mwen fè yon ti ri ak yo. Sa te kont pou remoute kouraj yo.
I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.
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 selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.
