Job 29
1 addidit quoque Iob adsumens parabolam suam et dixit
Job resumed speaking and said,
2 quis mihi tribuat ut sim iuxta menses pristinos secundum dies quibus Deus custodiebat me
“Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,
3 quando splendebat lucerna eius super caput meum et ad lumen eius ambulabam in tenebris
when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
4 sicut fui in diebus adulescentiae meae quando secreto Deus erat in tabernaculo meo
Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on my tent,
5 quando erat Omnipotens mecum et in circuitu meo pueri mei
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
6 quando lavabam pedes meos butyro et petra fundebat mihi rivos olei
when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 quando procedebam ad portam civitatis et in platea parabant cathedram mihi
When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
8 videbant me iuvenes et abscondebantur et senes adsurgentes stabant
the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
9 principes cessabant loqui et digitum superponebant ori suo
The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
10 vocem suam cohibebant duces et lingua eorum gutturi suo adherebat
The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
11 auris audiens beatificabat me et oculus videns testimonium reddebat mihi
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 quod liberassem pauperem vociferantem et pupillum cui non esset adiutor
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 benedictio perituri super me veniebat et cor viduae consolatus sum
The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 iustitia indutus sum et vestivit me sicut vestimento et diademate iudicio meo
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 oculus fui caeco et pes claudo
I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
16 pater eram pauperum et causam quam nesciebam diligentissime investigabam
I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
17 conterebam molas iniqui et de dentibus illius auferebam praedam
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.
18 dicebamque in nidulo meo moriar et sicut palma multiplicabo dies
Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
19 radix mea aperta est secus aquas et ros morabitur in messione mea
My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
20 gloria mea semper innovabitur et arcus meus in manu mea instaurabitur
The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
21 qui me audiebant expectabant sententiam et intenti tacebant ad consilium meum
To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
22 verbis meis addere nihil audebant et super illos stillabat eloquium meum
After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.
23 expectabant me sicut pluviam et os suum aperiebant quasi ad imbrem serotinum
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 si quando ridebam ad eos non credebant et lux vultus mei non cadebat in terram
I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.
25 si voluissem ire ad eos sedebam primus cumque sederem quasi rex circumstante exercitu eram tamen maerentium consolator
I selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.
