Job 29

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	Biblia Sagrada
1 Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said:	1 Job continuó así su discurso:
2 Who will grant to me that I might be as I was in former months, according to the days when God kept watch over me?	2 «¡Si pudiera revivir el pasado, | cuando Dios velaba sobre mí,
3 At that time, his lamp shined over my head, and by his light, I walked through the darkness.	3 cuando su lámpara brillaba | por encima de mi cabeza, | y a su luz cruzaba las tinieblas!
4 I was then just as in the days of my youth, when God was privately in my tabernacle.	4 ¡Aquellos días de mi otoño, | cuando Dios era un íntimo en mi tienda,
5 At that time, the Almighty was with me and my children surrounded me.	5 cuando el Todopoderoso estaba conmigo | y me veía rodeado de mis hijos!
6 Then, I washed my feet with butter, and a boulder poured out rivers of oil for me.	6 Cuando lavaba mis pies en leche, | y la roca me daba ríos de aceite.
7 When I went to the gate of the city, or to the main street, they prepared a chair for me.	7 Cuando salía a la puerta de la ciudad | y tomaba asiento en la plaza,
8 The youths saw me and hid themselves, and the elders, rising up, remained standing.	8 los jóvenes, al verme, se escondían, | los ancianos se ponían de pie;
9 The leaders stopped talking, and they placed a finder over their mouth.	9 los jefes dejaban de hablar, | tapándose la boca con la mano;
10 The commanders subdued their voice, and their tongue adhered to their throat.	10 enmudecía la voz de los notables, | se les pegaba la lengua al paladar.
11 The ear that heard me, blessed me, and the eye that saw me, gave testimony for me.	11 La gente que me oía me felicitaba, | quien lo veía luego lo confirmaba:
12 This was because I had freed the poor, who cried out, and the orphan, who had no helper.	12 pues yo libraba al pobre suplicante, | al huérfano carente de defensor;
13 The blessing of him who would have been destroyed came upon me, and I consoled the heart of the widow.	13 recibía la bendición del moribundo, | aliviaba el corazón de la viuda.
14 I put on justice, and I clothed myself with my judgment, like a robe and a diadem.	14 La justicia era mi vestido, | me arropaba lo mismo que un manto, | y el derecho me servía de turbante.
15 I was an eye for the blind and a foot for the lame.	15 Yo era ojos para el ciego, | yo fui pies para los cojos;
16 I was the father of the poor; and if I lacked knowledge about any case, I investigated very diligently.	16 yo era padre de los pobres, | abogado de extranjeros.
17 I crushed the jaws of the impious, and I took away prey from his teeth.	17 Rompía los colmillos del malvado | y arrancaba la pieza de sus dientes.
18 And I said, “I will die in my little nest, and like a palm tree, I will multiply my days.	18 Pensaba: “Moriré en mi nido, | prolongaré mis días como el Fénix,
19 My root has been spread beside the waters, and the dew will remain with my harvest.	19 con mis raíces a la vera del agua | y el rocío nocturno en mi ramaje;
20 My glory will always be restored, and my bow will be restored to my hand.”	20 mi prestigio irá progresando | y mi arco afianzado en mi mano”.
21 Those who heard me, expected vindication, and they listened closely in silence to my counsel.	21 La gente me escuchaba expectante, | callada, esperando mi consejo;
22 To my words, they dared to add nothing, and my eloquence poured over them.	22 nada añadían a mi intervención, | tenían mis palabras por rocío;
23 They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for belated rains.	23 me esperaban como a lluvia temprana, | boquiabiertos al agua de primavera.
24 If I had ever laughed at them, they would not have believed it, and the light of my face was not cast down towards the ground.	24 Les sonreía y apenas lo creían, | los animaba la luz de mi rostro.
25 If I wished to go to them, I sat down first, and, though I sat like a king surrounded by an army, yet I was a comforter to whose who mourned.	25 Les mostraba el camino y me ponía al frente; | lo mismo que un rey al mando de sus tropas, | yo los guiaba y se dejaban conducir.