Job 29
1 Addidit quoque Iob, assumens parabolam suam, et dixit:
Job went on speaking.
2 Quis mihi tribuat, ut sim iuxta menses pristinos secundum dies, quibus Deus custodiebat me?
“I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!
3 Quando splendebat lucerna eius super caput meum, et ad lumen eius ambulabam in tenebris?
His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.
4 Sicut fui in diebus adolescentiæ meæ, quando secreto Deus erat in tabernaculo meo?
When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.
5 Quando erat Omnipotens mecum: et in circuitu meo pueri mei?
The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
6 Quando lavabam pedes meos butyro, et petra fundebat mihi rivos olei?
My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
7 Quando procedebam ad portam civitatis, et in platea parabant cathedram mihi?
I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
8 Videbant me iuvenes, et abscondebantur: et senes assurgentes stabant.
The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
9 Principes cessabant loqui, et digitum superponebant ori suo.
The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 Vocem suam cohibebant duces, et lingua eorum gutturi suo adhærebat.
The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
11 Auris audiens beatificabat me, et oculus videns testimonium reddebat mihi.
Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
12 Eo quod liberassem pauperem vociferantem, et pupillum, cui non esset adiutor.
because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.
13 Benedictio perituri super me veniebat, et cor viduæ consolatus sum.
Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.
14 Iustitia indutus sum: et vestivi me, sicut vestimento et diademate, iudicio meo.
Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
15 Oculus fui cæco, et pes claudo.
I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
16 Pater eram pauperum: et causam quam nesciebam, diligentissime investigabam.
I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
17 Conterebam molas iniqui, et de dentibus illius auferebam prædam.
I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
18 Dicebamque: In nidulo meo moriar, et sicut palma multiplicabo dies.
I thought I would die at home, after many years.
19 Radix mea aperta est secus aquas, et ros morabitur in messione mea.
Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
20 Gloria mea semper innovabitur, et arcus meus in manu mea instaurabitur.
Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
21 Qui me audiebant, expectabant sententiam, et intenti tacebant ad consilium meum.
People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
22 Verbis meis addere nihil audebant, et super illos stillabat eloquium meum.
Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.
23 Expectabant me sicut pluviam, et os suum aperiebant quasi ad imbrem serotinum.
They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
24 Siquando ridebam ad eos, non credebant, et lux vultus mei non cadebat in terram.
When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
25 Si voluissem ire ad eos, sedebam primus: cumque sederem quasi rex, circumstante exercitu, eram tamen mœrentium consolator.
I decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.
