Liber Iob, 29
1. Addidit quoque Iob assumens parabolam suam et di xit:
1. And Job again took up his discourse, and said:
2. “Quis mihi tribuat, ut sim iuxta menses pristinos, secundum dies, quibus Deus custodiebat me?
2. "Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
3. Quando splendebat lucerna eius super caput meum, et ad lumen eius ambulabam in tenebris.
3. when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness;
4. Sicut fui in diebus adulescentiae meae, quando familiaris Deus erat in tabernaculo meo,
4. as I was in my autumn days, when the friendship of God was upon my tent;
5. quando erat Omnipotens mecum, et in circuitu meo pueri mei,
5. when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
6. quando lavabam pedes meos lacte, et petra fundebat mihi rivos olei.
6. when my steps were washed with milk, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7. Quando procedebam ad portam civitatis et in platea parabam cathedram mihi,
7. When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square,
8. videbant me iuvenes et abscondebantur, et senes assurgentes stabant.
8. the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood;
9. Principes cessabant loqui et digitum superponebant ori suo.
9. the princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth;
10. Vocem suam cohibebant duces, et lingua eorum palato suo adhaerebat.
10. the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11. Auris audiens beatificabat me, et oculus videns testimonium reddebat mihi,
11. When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved;
12. eo quod liberassem pauperem vociferantem et pupillum, cui non esset adiutor.
12. because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13. Benedictio perituri super me veniebat, et cor viduae iubilare feci.
13. The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14. Iustitia indutus sum et vestivi me, sicut vestimento et diademate, iudicio meo.
14. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15. Oculus fui caeco et pes claudo;
15. I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
16. pater eram pauperum et causam viri ignoti diligentissime investigabam.
16. I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
17. Conterebam molas iniqui et de dentibus illius auferebam praedam.
17. I broke the fangs of the unrighteous, and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18. Dicebamque: In nidulo meo moriar et sicut palma multiplicabo dies.
18. Then I thought, `I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand,
19. Radix mea aperta est secus aquas, et ros morabitur in ramis meis.
19. my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches,
20. Gloria mea semper innovabitur, et arcus meus in manu mea instaurabitur.
20. my glory fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.'
21. Qui me audiebant, blandiebantur et intenti tacebant ad consilium meum.
21. "Men listened to me, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22. Verbis meis addere nihil audebant, et super illos stillabat eloquium meum.
22. After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them.
23. Exspectabant me sicut pluviam et os suum aperiebant quasi ad imbrem serotinum.
23. They waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24. Si quando ridebam ad eos, non credebant, et lux vultus mei non cadebat in terram.
24. I smiled on them when they had no confidence; and the light of my countenance they did not cast down.
25. Si voluissem ire ad eos, sedebam primus; cumque sederem quasi rex, circumstante exercitu, eram tamen maerentium consolator.
25. I chose their way, and sat as chief, and I dwelt like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.
