Job 29
1 And Job again took up the word and said,
Addidit quoque Job, assumens parabolam suam, et dixit:
2 If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!
Quis mihi tribuat ut sim juxta menses pristinos, secundum dies quibus Deus custodiebat me?
3 When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
Quando splendebat lucerna ejus super caput meum, et ad lumen ejus ambulabam in tenebris:
4 As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
sicut fui in diebus adolescentiæ meæ, quando secreto Deus erat in tabernaculo meo:
5 While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
quando erat Omnipotens mecum, et in circuitu meo pueri mei:
6 When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
quando lavabam pedes meos butyro, et petra fundebat mihi rivos olei:
7 When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
quando procedebam ad portam civitatis, et in platea parabant cathedram mihi.
8 The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
Videbant me juvenes, et abscondebantur: et senes assurgentes stabant.
9 The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
Principes cessabant loqui, et digitum superponebant ori suo.
10 The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.
Vocem suam cohibebant duces, et lingua eorum gutturi suo adhærebat.
11 For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;
Auris audiens beatificabat me, et oculus videns testimonium reddebat mihi:
12 For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.
eo quod liberassem pauperem vociferantem, et pupillum cui non esset adjutor.
13 The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.
Benedictio perituri super me veniebat, et cor viduæ consolatus sum.
14 I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.
Justitia indutus sum, et vestivi me, sicut vestimento et diademate, judicio meo.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.
Oculus fui cæco, et pes claudo.
16 I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
Pater eram pauperum, et causam quam nesciebam diligentissime investigabam.
17 By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
Conterebam molas iniqui, et de dentibus illius auferebam prædam.
18 Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
Dicebamque: In nidulo meo moriar, et sicut palma multiplicabo dies.
19 My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
Radix mea aperta est secus aquas, et ros morabitur in messione mea.
20 My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
Gloria mea semper innovabitur, et arcus meus in manu mea instaurabitur.
21 Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
Qui me audiebant, expectabant sententiam, et intenti tacebant ad consilium meum.
22 After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
Verbis meis addere nihil audebant, et super illos stillabat eloquium meum.
23 They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
Expectabant me sicut pluviam, et os suum aperiebant quasi ad imbrem serotinum.
24 I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
Siquando ridebam ad eos, non credebant: et lux vultus mei non cadebat in terram.
25 I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
Si voluissem ire ad eos, sedebam primus: cumque sederem quasi rex, circumstante exercitu, eram tamen mœrentium consolator.
