1 And Job again took up the word and said,
2 If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!
3 When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
4 As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
5 While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
6 When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
7 When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
8 The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
9 The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
10 The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.
11 For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;
12 For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.
13 The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.
14 I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.
16 I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
17 By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
18 Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
19 My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
20 My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
21 Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
22 After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
23 They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
24 I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
25 I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
1 E Job prossegue:
2 Oh, quem me dera aqueles anosem que Deus tomava conta de mim,em que me iluminava o caminhoe eu andava com segurança pela escuridão;
4 sim, na minha mocidade, o amor de Deusera coisa sensível no meu lar,
5 o Deus poderoso ainda estava comigo, e eu vivia rodeado dos meus filhos;
6 os meus projectos iam avantecomo se andasse sobre chão tenro; era como se das próprias rochasbrotassem torrentes de azeite sobre mim!
7 Nesses tempos ia até à entrada da cidade e lá me sentava por entre os respeitáveis anciãos.
8 Os jovens, quando me viam, afastavam-se do meu caminho,e até as pessoas mais velhas se levantavame ficavam respeitosamente de pé quando me aproximava.
10 Até os mais altos magistrados da cidadepreferiam calar-se na minha presença.
11 Toda a gente aprovava o que eu dizia. Todo os que me conheciam diziam bem de mim.
12 Porque eu ajudava os pobres nas suas necessidades,e os órfãos que não tinham quem os socorresse.
13 Também auxiliei aqueles que estavam prestes a perecer,e que assim me abençoaram. Fiz com que o coração das viúvas rejubilasse de alegria.
14 Toda a minha conduta foi recta e honesta; revesti-me de justiça.
15 Servi de vista para os cegos e de pés para os coxos.
16 Fui como um pai para os pobres,e inquiri cuidadosamente as causas em tribunal até dos estrangeiros.
17 Quebrei as garras aos ímpios opressores e arranquei-lhesdos dentes as vítimas.
18 Eu pensava assim: 'Com certeza eu hei-de morrer sossegado, no meu lar,no fim duma vida longa e boa.'
19 Porque tudo o que eu fazia resultava bem; o orvalho descia de noite sobre os meus campos, regando-os.
20 Novas honrarias eram-me constantemente dadas; sentia renovarem-se-me as capacidades.
21 Toda a gente me ouvia com atenção e aceitava o meu conselho;ninguém mais abria a boca enquanto eu falava.
22 E mesmo depois de ter falado, ninguém mais tinha nada a dizer,porque a minha opinião convencia toda a gente.
23 Aliás as pessoas esperavam pelas minhas intervençõescomo, na seca, se espera pela chuva; ficavam na espectativa, de ouvido à escuta.
24 Quando alguém se encontrava desencorajado,se eu lhe sorria, retomava alento,e o seu espírito abria-se.
25 Dizia-lhes o que deviam fazer, e corrigia-os,tal como faz um chefe, ou um general, que instruiu as suas tropas. Na minha pessoa, encontravam sempre alguémque consolava os que choram.