Jó 29
1 E proseguiu Job em proferir o seu dito, e disse:
Job spoke again,
2 Ah! quem me dera ser como eu fui nos meses passados! como nos dias em que Deus me guardava!
“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
3 Quando fazia resplandecer a sua candeia sobre a minha cabeça e quando eu pela sua luz caminhava pelas trevas:
During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
4 Como era nos dias da minha mocidade, quando o segredo de Deus estava sobre a minha tenda:
At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
5 Quando o Todo-poderoso ainda estava comigo, e os meus meninos em redor de mim.
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 Quando lavava os meus passos na manteiga, e da rocha me corriam ribeiros de azeite:
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 Quando saía a porta pela cidade, e na praça fazia preparar a minha cadeira:
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 Os moços me viam, e se escondiam, e até os idosos se levantavam e se punham em pé:
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 Os príncipes continham as suas palavras, e punham a mão sobre a sua boca:
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 A voz dos chefes se escondia: e a sua língua se pegava ao seu paladar:
and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
11 Ouvindo-me algum ouvido, me tinha por bem-aventurado: vendo-me algum olho, dava testemunho de mim;
When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,
12 Porque eu livrava o miserável, que clamava: como também o órfão que não tinha quem o socoresse.
because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
13 A benção do que ia perecendo vinha sobre mim, e eu fazia que jubilasse o coração da viúva.
Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
14 Vestia-me da justiça: e ela me servia de vestido: como manto e diadema era o meu juízo.
I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
15 Eu fui o olho do cego, como também os pés do coxo:
[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
16 Aos necessitados era pai, e as causas de que eu não tinha conhecimento inquiria com diligência;
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 E quebrava os queixais do perverso, e dos seus dentes tirava a preza.
My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
18 E dizia: No meu ninho expirarei, e multiplicarei os meus dias como a areia.
“At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
19 A minha raiz se estendia junto às águas, e o orvalho fazia assento sobre os meus ramos;
I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
20 A minha honra se renovava em mim, e o meu arco se reforçava na minha mão.
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 Ouvindo-me esperavam, e em silêncio atendiam ao meu conselho.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Acabada a minha palavra, não replicavam, e minhas razões destilavam sobre eles;
After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
23 Porque me esperavam, como a chuva; e abriam a sua boca, como a chuva tardia
They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
24 Se me ria para eles, não o criam, e não faziam abater a luz do meu rosto;
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
25 Eu escolhia o seu caminho, assentava-me como chefe, e habitava como rei entre as tropas: como aquele que consola os que pranteiam.
I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
