Giobbe 29
1 Giobbe continuò a pronunziare le sue sentenze e disse:
Job resumed speaking and said,
2 Oh, potessi tornare com'ero ai mesi di un tempo, ai giorni in cui Dio mi proteggeva,
“Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,
3 quando brillava la sua lucerna sopra il mio capo e alla sua luce camminavo in mezzo alle tenebre;
when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
4 com'ero ai giorni del mio autunno, quando Dio proteggeva la mia tenda,
Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on my tent,
5 quando l'Onnipotente era ancora con me e i giovani mi stavano attorno;
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
6 quando mi lavavo in piedi nel latte e la roccia mi versava ruscelli d'olio!
when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 Quando uscivo verso la porta della città e sulla piazza ponevo il mio seggio:
When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
8 vedendomi, i giovani si ritiravano e i vecchi si alzavano in piedi;
the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
9 i notabili sospendevano i discorsi e si mettevan la mano sulla bocca;
The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
10 la voce dei capi si smorzava e la loro lingua restava fissa al palato;
The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
11 con gli orecchi ascoltavano e mi dicevano felice, con gli occhi vedevano e mi rendevano testimonianza,
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 perché soccorrevo il povero che chiedeva aiuto, l'orfano che ne era privo.
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 La benedizione del morente scendeva su di me e al cuore della vedova infondevo la gioia.
The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 Mi ero rivestito di giustizia come di un vestimento; come mantello e turbante era la mia equità.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 Io ero gli occhi per il cieco, ero i piedi per lo zoppo.
I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
16 Padre io ero per i poveri ed esaminavo la causa dello sconosciuto;
I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
17 rompevo la mascella al perverso e dai suoi denti strappavo la preda.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.
18 Pensavo: «Spirerò nel mio nido e moltiplicherò come sabbia i miei giorni».
Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
19 La mia radice avrà adito alle acque e la rugiada cadrà di notte sul mio ramo.
My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
20 La mia gloria sarà sempre nuova e il mio arco si rinforzerà nella mia mano.
The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
21 Mi ascoltavano in attesa fiduciosa e tacevano per udire il mio consiglio.
To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
22 Dopo le mie parole non replicavano e su di loro scendevano goccia a goccia i miei detti.
After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.
23 Mi attendevano come si attende la pioggia e aprivano la bocca come ad acqua primaverile.
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 Se a loro sorridevo, non osavano crederlo, né turbavano la serenità del mio volto.
I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.
25 Indicavo loro la via da seguire e sedevo come capo, e vi rimanevo come un re fra i soldati o come un consolatore d'afflitti.
I selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.
