Job 29

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	VULGATA
1 Job took up his theme anew and said;	1 Addidit quoque Job, assumens parabolam suam, et dixit :
2 Oh, that I were as in the months past! as in the days when God watched over me,	2 Quis mihi tribuat ut sim juxta menses pristinos, secundum dies quibus Deus custodiebat me ?
3 While he kept his lamp shining above my head, and by his light I walked through darkness;	3 Quando splendebat lucerna ejus super caput meum, et ad lumen ejus ambulabam in tenebris :
4 As I was in my flourishing days, when God sheltered my tent;	4 sicut fui in diebus adolescentiæ meæ, quando secreto Deus erat in tabernaculo meo :
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were round about me;	5 quando erat Omnipotens mecum, et in circuitu meo pueri mei :
6 When my footsteps were bathed in milk, and the rock flowed with streams of oil;	6 quando lavabam pedes meos butyro, et petra fundebat mihi rivos olei :
7 When I went forth to the gate of the city and set up my seat in the square-	7 quando procedebam ad portam civitatis, et in platea parabant cathedram mihi.
8 Then the young men saw me and withdrew, while the elders rose up and stood;	8 Videbant me juvenes, et abscondebantur : et senes assurgentes stabant.
9 The chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;	9 Principes cessabant loqui, et digitum superponebant ori suo.
10 The voice of the princes was silenced, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.	10 Vocem suam cohibebant duces, et lingua eorum gutturi suo adhærebat.
11 Whoever heard of me blessed me; those who saw me commended me.	11 Auris audiens beatificabat me, et oculus videns testimonium reddebat mihi :
12 For I rescued the poor who cried out for help, the orphans, and the unassisted;	12 eo quod liberassem pauperem vociferantem, et pupillum cui non esset adjutor.
13 The blessing of those in extremity came upon me, and the heart of the widow I made joyful.	13 Benedictio perituri super me veniebat, et cor viduæ consolatus sum.
14 I wore my honesty like a garment; justice was my robe and my turban.	14 Justitia indutus sum, et vestivi me, sicut vestimento et diademate, judicio meo.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame was I;	15 Oculus fui cæco, et pes claudo.
16 I was a father to the needy; the rights of the stranger I studied,	16 Pater eram pauperum, et causam quam nesciebam diligentissime investigabam.
17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked man; from his teeth I forced the prey.	17 Conterebam molas iniqui, et de dentibus illius auferebam prædam.
18 Then I said: "In my own nest I shall grow old; I shall multiply years like the phoenix.	18 Dicebamque : In nidulo meo moriar, et sicut palma multiplicabo dies.
19 My root is spread out to the waters; the dew rests by night on my branches.	19 Radix mea aperta est secus aquas, et ros morabitur in messione mea.
20 My glory is fresh within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand!"	20 Gloria mea semper innovabitur, et arcus meus in manu mea instaurabitur.
21 For me they listened and waited; they were silent for my counsel.	21 Qui me audiebant, expectabant sententiam, et intenti tacebant ad consilium meum.
22 Once I spoke, they said no more, but received my pronouncement drop by drop.	22 Verbis meis addere nihil audebant, et super illos stillabat eloquium meum.
23 They waited for me as for the rain; they drank in my words like the spring rains.	23 Expectabant me sicut pluviam, et os suum aperiebant quasi ad imbrem serotinum.
24 When I smiled on them they were reassured;	24 Siquando ridebam ad eos, non credebant : et lux vultus mei non cadebat in terram.
25 mourners took comfort from my cheerful glance. I chose out their way and presided; I took a king's place in the armed forces.	25 Si voluissem ire ad eos, sedebam primus : cumque sederem quasi rex, circumstante exercitu, eram tamen mœrentium consolator.