Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
Job prenant encore de nouveau sa parabole, dit:
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
Qui m’accordera que je sois comme dans les anciens mois, comme aux jours dans lesquels Dieu me gardait;
3 During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
Quand sa lampe luisait sur ma tête, et qu’à sa lumière je marchais dans les ténèbres;
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
Comme je fus aux jours de ma jeunesse, quand en secret Dieu était dans mon tabernacle;
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
Quand le Tout-Puissant était avec moi, et qu’autour de moi étaient mes serviteurs;
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
Quand je lavais mes pieds dans le beurre, et qu’une pierre répandait pour moi des ruisseaux d’huile;
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
Quand je m’avançais vers la porte de la ville, et que sur la place publique on me préparait un siège?
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
Les jeunes hommes me voyaient, et se retiraient à l’écart; et les vieillards, se levant, se tenaient debout.
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
Les princes cessaient de parler, et mettaient un doigt sur leur bouche.
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
Les grands retenaient leur voix, et leur langue s’attachait à leur palais.
11 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,
L’oreille qui m’entendait me proclamait bienheureux, et l’œil qui me voyait me rendait témoignage;
12 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.
Parce que j’avais délivré le pauvre qui criait, et l’orphelin qui n’avait pas de soutien.
13 Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
La bénédiction de celui qui allait périr venait sur moi, et je consolais le cœur de la veuve.
14 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].
Je me suis revêtu de la justice, et l’équité de mes jugements m’a servi comme de vêtement et de diadème.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
J’ai été un œil pour l’aveugle, et un pied pour le boiteux.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
J’étais le père des pauvres; et l’affaire que je ne connaissais pas, je l’étudiais avec le plus grand soin.
17 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.
Je brisais les mâchoires de l’injuste, et j’arrachais la proie de ses dents.
18 “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].’
Et je disais: C’est dans mon petit nid que je mourrai, et comme le palmier, je multiplierai mes jours.
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
Ma racine s’étend le long des eaux, et la rosée se reposera sur ma moisson.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
Ma gloire se renouvellera tous les jours et mon arc se fortifiera dans ma main.
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
Ceux qui m’écoutaient attendaient mon sentiment, et, attentifs, ils se tenaient en silence pour recevoir mon avis.
22 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].
Ils n’osaient rien ajouter à mes paroles, et mon discours coulait sur eux goutte à goutte.
23 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].
Ils me souhaitaient comme l’eau du ciel, et ils ouvraient leur bouche, comme la terre s’ouvre à la pluie de l’arrière-saison.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Si quelquefois je leur souriais, ils ne le croyaient pas, et la lumière de mon visage ne tombait pas à terre.
25 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.”
Si je voulais aller parmi eux, j’avais la première place; et lorsque j’étais assis comme un roi entouré de son armée, j’étais cependant le consolateur des affligés.
