Job 29

1 Job went on speaking.

Job nastavi svoju besjedu i reče:

2 “I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!

“O, da mi je prošle proživjet' mjesece, dane one kad je Bog nada mnom bdio,

3 His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.

kad mi je nad glavom njegov sjao žižak a kroz mrak me svjetlo njegovo vodilo,

4 When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.

kao u dane mojih zrelih jeseni kad s mojim stanom Bog prijateljevaše,

5 The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.

kada uz mene još bijaše Svesilni i moji me okruživahu dječaci,

6 My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.

kada mi se noge u mlijeku kupahu, a potokom ulja ključaše mi kamen!

7 I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.

Kada sam na vrata gradska izlazio i svoju stolicu postavljao na trg,

8 The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.

vidjevši me, sklanjali bi se mladići, starci bi ustavši stojeći ostali.

9 The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.

Razgovor bi prekidali uglednici i usta bi svoja rukom zatvarali.

10 The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.

Glavarima glas bi sasvim utihnuo, za nepce bi im se zalijepio jezik.

11 Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,

Tko god me slušao, blaženim me zvao, hvalilo me oko kad bi me vidjelo.

12 because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.

Jer, izbavljah bijednog kada je kukao i sirotu ostavljenu bez pomoći.

13 Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.

Na meni bješe blagoslov izgubljenih, srcu udovice ja veselje vraćah.

14 Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.

Pravdom se ja kao haljinom odjenuh, nepristranost bje mi plaštem i povezom.

15 I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.

Bjeh oči slijepcu i bjeh noge bogalju,

16 I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.

otac ubogima, zastupnik strancima.

17 I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.

Kršio sam zube čovjeku opaku, plijen sam čupao iz njegovih čeljusti.

18 I thought I would die at home, after many years.

Govorah: 'U svom ću izdahnuti gnijezdu, k'o palma, bezbrojne proživjevši dane.'

19 Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.

Korijenje se moje sve do vode pruža, na granama mojim odmara se rosa.

20 Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.

Pomlađivat će se svagda slava moja i luk će mi se obnavljati u ruci.'

21 People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.

Slušali su željno što ću im kazati i šutjeli da od mene savjet čuju.

22 Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.

Na riječi mi ne bi ništa dometali i besjede su mi daždile po njima.

23 They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.

Za mnom žudjeli su oni k'o za kišom, otvarali usta k'o za pljuskom ljetnim.

24 When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.

Osmijeh moj bijaše njima ohrabrenje; pazili su na vedrinu moga lica.

25 I decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.

Njima ja sam izabirao putove, kao poglavar ja sam ih predvodio, kao kralj među svojim kad je četama kao onaj koji tješi ojađene.