Job 29
1 Addidit quoque Job, assumens parabolam suam, et dixit:
And Job again took up his measure, and said,
2 Quis mihi tribuat ut sim juxta menses pristinos, secundum dies quibus Deus custodiebat me?
Oh that it were with me as in the months of old, as in the days, when, GOD, used to watch over me;
3 Quando splendebat lucerna ejus super caput meum, et ad lumen ejus ambulabam in tenebris:
When his lamp shone over my head, by whose light, I could go through darkness;
4 sicut fui in diebus adolescentiæ meæ, quando secreto Deus erat in tabernaculo meo:
As I was, in the days of my prime, when, the intimacy of GOD, was over my tent;
5 quando erat Omnipotens mecum, et in circuitu meo pueri mei:
While yet the Almighty was with me, round about me, were my young men;
6 quando lavabam pedes meos butyro, et petra fundebat mihi rivos olei:
When my steps were bathed in milk, and, the rock, poured out beside me, rivulets of oil:
7 quando procedebam ad portam civitatis, et in platea parabant cathedram mihi.
When I went out to the gate unto the city, in the open place, made ready my seat,
8 Videbant me juvenes, et abscondebantur: et senes assurgentes stabant.
Young men saw me, and hid themselves, and, the aged, arose—they stood;
9 Principes cessabant loqui, et digitum superponebant ori suo.
Rulers, restrained speech, and, a hand, laid they on their mouth;
10 Vocem suam cohibebant duces, et lingua eorum gutturi suo adhærebat.
The voice of nobles, was hushed, and their tongue to their palate, did cleave;
11 Auris audiens beatificabat me, et oculus videns testimonium reddebat mihi:
When, the ear, heard, then it pronounced me happy, When, the eye, saw, then it bare me witness;
12 eo quod liberassem pauperem vociferantem, et pupillum cui non esset adjutor.
Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, the fatherless also, and him that had no helper;
13 Benedictio perituri super me veniebat, et cor viduæ consolatus sum.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish, upon me was wont to descend, and, the heart of the widow, caused I to sing for joy;
14 Justitia indutus sum, et vestivi me, sicut vestimento et diademate, judicio meo.
Righteousness, I put on, and it clothed me, Like a robe and turban, was my, justice;
15 Oculus fui cæco, et pes claudo.
Eyes, became I to the, blind, and, feet to the lame, was, I!
16 Pater eram pauperum, et causam quam nesciebam diligentissime investigabam.
A father, was, I, to the needy, and, as for the cause which I knew not, I used to search it out;
17 Conterebam molas iniqui, et de dentibus illius auferebam prædam.
And I shivered the fangs of the perverse, —and, out of his teeth, I tare the prey.
18 Dicebamque: In nidulo meo moriar, et sicut palma multiplicabo dies.
Then said I, Like a stem, shall I grow old, yea, as the sand, shall I multiply days:
19 Radix mea aperta est secus aquas, et ros morabitur in messione mea.
My root, is laid open to the waters, and, the dew, shall lodge for the night in my boughs;
20 Gloria mea semper innovabitur, et arcus meus in manu mea instaurabitur.
Mine honour, shall be young again with me, and, my bow, in my hand, be renewed.
21 Qui me audiebant, expectabant sententiam, et intenti tacebant ad consilium meum.
To me, men hearkened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel;
22 Verbis meis addere nihil audebant, et super illos stillabat eloquium meum.
After I had spoken, they spake not again, and, upon them, used my speech to drop;
23 Expectabant me sicut pluviam, et os suum aperiebant quasi ad imbrem serotinum.
And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;
24 Siquando ridebam ad eos, non credebant: et lux vultus mei non cadebat in terram.
I laughed at them—they lost confidence, and, the light of my countenance, they suffered not to fail;
25 Si voluissem ire ad eos, sedebam primus: cumque sederem quasi rex, circumstante exercitu, eram tamen mœrentium consolator.
I chose out their way, and sat chief, —and abode, as king, in an army, as one who, to mourners, giveth comfort.
