Job 29

EL LIBRO DEL PUEBLO DE DIOS	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Job continuó pronunciando su poema, y dijo:	1 Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said:
2 ¡Si pudiera volver a los tiempos pasados, a los días en que Dios cuidaba de mí,	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?
3 cuando hacía brillar su lámpara sobre mi cabeza y yo caminaba a su luz entre las tinieblas!	3 At that time, his lamp shined over my head, and by his light, I walked through the darkness.
4 ¡Si estuviera como en el otoño de mi vida, cuando Dios protegía mi carpa,	4 I was then just as in the days of my youth, when God was privately in my tabernacle.
5 cuando el Todopoderoso aún estaba conmigo y me rodeaban mis hijos;	5 At that time, the Almighty was with me and my children surrounded me.
6 cuando mis pies se bañaban en lecha cuajada y la roca derramaba para mí arroyos de aceite!	6 Then, I washed my feet with butter, and a boulder poured out rivers of oil for me.
7 Si yo salía a la puerta principal de la ciudad y ocupaba mi puesto en la plaza,	7 When I went to the gate of the city, or to the main street, they prepared a chair for me.
8 los jóvenes se retiraban al verme, los ancianos se levantaban y permanecían de pie.	8 The youths saw me and hid themselves, and the elders, rising up, remained standing.
9 Los príncipes retenían sus palabras y se tapaban la boca con la mano;	9 The leaders stopped talking, and they placed a finder over their mouth.
10 a los jefes se les apagaba la voz, se les pegaba la lengua al paladar.	10 The commanders subdued their voice, and their tongue adhered to their throat.
11 Sí, el que me oía me felicitaba y el que me veía daba testimonio a mi favor.	11 The ear that heard me, blessed me, and the eye that saw me, gave testimony for me.
12 Porque yo salvaba al pobre que pedía auxilio y al huérfano privado de ayuda.	12 This was because I had freed the poor, who cried out, and the orphan, who had no helper.
13 El desesperado me hacía llegar su bendición, y yo alegraba el corazón de la viuda.	13 The blessing of him who would have been destroyed came upon me, and I consoled the heart of the widow.
14 Me había revestido de justicia, y ella me cubría, mi rectitud era como un manto y un turbante.	14 I put on justice, and I clothed myself with my judgment, like a robe and a diadem.
15 Yo era ojos para el ciego y pies para el lisiado,	15 I was an eye for the blind and a foot for the lame.
16 era un padre para los indigentes y examinaba a fondo el caso del desconocido.	16 I was the father of the poor; and if I lacked knowledge about any case, I investigated very diligently.
17 Rompía las mandíbulas del injusto y le hacía soltar la presa de sus dientes.	17 I crushed the jaws of the impious, and I took away prey from his teeth.
18 Entonces pensaba: «Moriré en mi nido, multiplicaré mis días como el ave fénix	18 And I said, “I will die in my little nest, and like a palm tree, I will multiply my days.
19 Mi raíz se extenderá hacia el agua y el rocío se posará en mi ramaje.	19 My root has been spread beside the waters, and the dew will remain with my harvest.
20 Mi gloria será siempre nueva en mí y el arco rejuvenecerá en mi mano».	20 My glory will always be restored, and my bow will be restored to my hand.”
21 Ellos me escuchaban con expectación, callaban para oír mi consejo.	21 Those who heard me, expected vindication, and they listened closely in silence to my counsel.
22 Después que yo hablaba, nadie replicaba, mi palabra caía sobre ellos gota a gota.	22 To my words, they dared to add nothing, and my eloquence poured over them.
23 Me esperaban como a la lluvia, abrían su boca como a la lluvia de primavera.	23 They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for belated rains.
24 Si les sonreía, les costaba creerlo y no querían perderse la luz de mi rostro.	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.
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.	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.