Jòb 29
1 Ankò, Job te reprann diskou. Li te di:
Job went on speaking.
2 “O ke m te menm jan ke m te ye nan mwa lontan yo! Kon nan jou ke Bondye te bay rega sou mwen yo;
“I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!
3 Lè lanp Li yo te briye sou tèt mwen, e pa limyè Li, mwen te mache pase nan fènwa a;
His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.
4 Jan mwen te ye nan pi bèl nan jou mwen yo, lè amitye Bondye te sou tant mwen an;
When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.
5 lè Toupwisan an te toujou avè m, e pitit mwen yo te antoure mwen;
The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
6 lè pa mwen yo te benyen nan bè e wòch la t ap vide ban mwen gwo flèv lwil!
My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
7 Lè m te konn sòti nan pòtay lavil la, pou m te gen chèz mwen sou plas la.
I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
8 Jennonm yo te wè m, e te kache kò yo, e granmoun yo te konn leve kanpe.
The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
9 Prens yo te sispann pale e te mete men yo sou bouch yo.
The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 Vwa a moun pwisan yo te rete, e lang yo te kole anlè nan bouch yo.
The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
11 Paske lè zòrèy la te tande m, li te rele m beni, e lè zye a te wè m, li te fè temwayaj benediksyon,
Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
12 akoz mwen te delivre malere ki te kriye pou sekou, avèk òfelen ki pa t gen moun pou ede l la.
because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.
13 Benediksyon a sila ki te prèt pou peri yo te rive sou mwen e mwen te fè kè vèv la chante avèk jwa.
Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.
14 Mwen te abiye nan ladwati e li te kouvri m; jistis mwen te tankou yon manto, avèk yon tiban.
Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
15 Mwen te sèvi kon zye pou avèg yo, e pye pou sila bwate yo.
I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
16 Mwen te yon papa pou malere a, e ka ke m pa konnen an, mwen te chache twouve bout li.
I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
17 Mwen te kase machwè a mechan an e mwen te retire viktim nan anba dan l.
I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
18 Konsa, mwen te reflechi, “Mwen va mouri nan pwòp kay mwen, e mwen va kontwole jou m yo anpil tankou sab.”
I thought I would die at home, after many years.
19 Rasin mwen gaye tankou dlo e lawouze kouche tout lannwit sou branch mwen yo.
Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
20 Fòs mwen toujou nèf, e banza m renouvle nan men m.’
Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
21 “Moun yo te koute e te tann. Yo te sispann pale pou tande konsèy mwen.
People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
22 Apre pawòl pa m, yo pa t pale ankò, e pawòl mwen yo te etonnen yo.
Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.
23 Yo te tann mwen tankou lapli. Yo te ouvri bouch yo pou bwe, konsi se pou lapli nan sezon prentan.
They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
24 Mwen te souri sou yo lè yo pa t kwè, e limyè a figi m pa t janm vin ba.
When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
25 Mwen te chwazi yon chemen pou yo, te chita tankou chèf, e te demere tankou wa pami sòlda yo, tankou yon moun ki bay rekonfò a sila ki andèy yo.”
I decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.
