Jòb 29
1 Jòb tanmen pale ankò, li di:
Job again took up his parable, 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 in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over 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 shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 Nan tan sa a, tout zafè m' t'ap mache byen. Bondye te zanmi m'. Li t'ap pwoteje kay mwen.
as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in 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 steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
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 prepared my seat in the street.
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 hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
9 Notab yo sispann pale, yo fèmen bouch yo.
The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 Ata chèf yo pa ka pale ankò! Lang yo vin lou nan bouch yo.
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 Tout moun ki te wè m' t'ap mache fè lwanj mwen, tout moun ki te tande m' te kontan avè m'.
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
12 Mwen lonje men bay pòv malere ki nan ka ansanm ak timoun san papa ki san sekou.
because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who 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 ready to perish came on me, and 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 as a robe and a diadem.
15 Se mwen ki te wè pou avèg yo. Se mwen ki te mache pou kokobe yo.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
16 Mwen te yon papa pou pòv malere yo. Mwen te kanpe pou defann kòz etranje yo.
I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
17 Mwen te kraze pouvwa malveyan yo. Mwen sove moun ki te anba men yo.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of 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 own house, I will count my days as the sand.
19 Mwen te tankou yon pyebwa plante bò larivyè. Sou tout branch li yo se lawouze.
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 Moun pa ta janm sispann fè lwanj mwen. Mwen t'ap toujou gen tout fòs mwen sou mwen.
My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed 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.
“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 Pawòl mwen tonbe nan kè yo tankou grenn lapli. Lè m' fin pale, pesonn pa gen anyen pou di ankò.
After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell 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 waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring 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 had no confidence. They didn’t 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 chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
