Job 29

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	EL LIBRO DEL PUEBLO DE DIOS
1 Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said:	1 Job continuó pronunciando su poema, y dijo:
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 volver a los tiempos pasados, a los días en que Dios cuidaba de mí,
3 At that time, his lamp shined over my head, and by his light, I walked through the darkness.	3 cuando hacía brillar su lámpara sobre mi cabeza y yo caminaba a su luz entre las tinieblas!
4 I was then just as in the days of my youth, when God was privately in my tabernacle.	4 ¡Si estuviera como en el otoño de mi vida, cuando Dios protegía mi carpa,
5 At that time, the Almighty was with me and my children surrounded me.	5 cuando el Todopoderoso aún estaba conmigo y me rodeaban mis hijos;
6 Then, I washed my feet with butter, and a boulder poured out rivers of oil for me.	6 cuando mis pies se bañaban en lecha cuajada y la roca derramaba para mí arroyos de aceite!
7 When I went to the gate of the city, or to the main street, they prepared a chair for me.	7 Si yo salía a la puerta principal de la ciudad y ocupaba mi puesto en la plaza,
8 The youths saw me and hid themselves, and the elders, rising up, remained standing.	8 los jóvenes se retiraban al verme, los ancianos se levantaban y permanecían de pie.
9 The leaders stopped talking, and they placed a finder over their mouth.	9 Los príncipes retenían sus palabras y se tapaban la boca con la mano;
10 The commanders subdued their voice, and their tongue adhered to their throat.	10 a los jefes se les apagaba la voz, 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 Sí, el que me oía me felicitaba y el que me veía daba testimonio a mi favor.
12 This was because I had freed the poor, who cried out, and the orphan, who had no helper.	12 Porque yo salvaba al pobre que pedía auxilio y al huérfano privado de ayuda.
13 The blessing of him who would have been destroyed came upon me, and I consoled the heart of the widow.	13 El desesperado me hacía llegar su bendición, y yo alegraba el corazón de la viuda.
14 I put on justice, and I clothed myself with my judgment, like a robe and a diadem.	14 Me había revestido de justicia, y ella me cubría, mi rectitud era como un manto y un turbante.
15 I was an eye for the blind and a foot for the lame.	15 Yo era ojos para el ciego y pies para el lisiado,
16 I was the father of the poor; and if I lacked knowledge about any case, I investigated very diligently.	16 era un padre para los indigentes y examinaba a fondo el caso del desconocido.
17 I crushed the jaws of the impious, and I took away prey from his teeth.	17 Rompía las mandíbulas del injusto y le hacía soltar la presa 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 Entonces pensaba: «Moriré en mi nido, multiplicaré mis días como el ave fénix
19 My root has been spread beside the waters, and the dew will remain with my harvest.	19 Mi raíz se extenderá hacia el agua y el rocío se posará en mi ramaje.
20 My glory will always be restored, and my bow will be restored to my hand.”	20 Mi gloria será siempre nueva en mí y el arco rejuvenecerá en mi mano».
21 Those who heard me, expected vindication, and they listened closely in silence to my counsel.	21 Ellos me escuchaban con expectación, callaban para oír mi consejo.
22 To my words, they dared to add nothing, and my eloquence poured over them.	22 Después que yo hablaba, nadie replicaba, mi palabra caía sobre ellos gota a gota.
23 They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for belated rains.	23 Me esperaban como a la lluvia, abrían su boca como a la lluvia 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 Si les sonreía, les costaba creerlo y no querían perderse 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 Yo les elegía el camino y me ponía al frente; me instalaba como un rey con sus tropas y adonde yo los llevaba, se dejaban guiar.