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 prosseguindo Jó no seu discurso, disse:
2 Ah! quem me dera ser como eu fui nos meses do passado, como nos dias em que Deus me guardava;
3 quando a sua lâmpada luzia sobre o minha cabeça, e eu com a sua luz caminhava através das trevas;
4 como era nos dias do meu vigor, quando o íntimo favor de Deus estava sobre a minha tenda;
5 quando o Todo-Poderoso ainda estava comigo, e os meus filhos em redor de mim;
6 quando os meus passos eram banhados em leite, e a rocha me deitava ribeiros de azeite!
7 Quando eu saía para a porta da cidade, e na praça preparava a minha cadeira,
8 os moços me viam e se escondiam, e os idosos se levantavam e se punham em pé;
9 os príncipes continham as suas palavras, e punham a mão sobre a sua boca;
10 a voz dos nobres emudecia, e a língua se lhes pegava ao paladar.
11 Pois, ouvindo-me algum ouvido, me tinha por bem-aventurado; e vendo-me algum olho, dava testemunho de mim;
12 porque eu livrava o miserável que clamava, e o órfão que não tinha quem o socorresse.
13 A bênção do que estava a perecer vinha sobre mim, e eu fazia rejubilar-se o coração da viúva.
14 vestia-me da retidão, e ela se vestia de mim; como manto e diadema era a minha justiça.
15 Fazia-me olhos para o cego, e pés para o coxo;
16 dos necessitados era pai, e a causa do que me era desconhecido examinava com diligência.
17 E quebrava os caninos do perverso, e arrancava-lhe a presa dentre os dentes.
18 Então dizia eu: No meu ninho expirarei, e multiplicarei os meus dias como a areia;
19 as minhas raízes se estendem até as águas, e o orvalho fica a noite toda sobre os meus ramos;
20 a minha honra se renova em mim, e o meu arco se revigora na minha mão.
21 A mim me ouviam e esperavam, e em silêncio atendiam ao meu conselho.
22 Depois de eu falar, nada replicavam, e minha palavra destilava sobre eles;
23 esperavam-me como à chuva; e abriam a sua boca como à chuva tardia.
24 Eu lhes sorria quando não tinham confiança; e não desprezavam a luz do meu rosto;
25 eu lhes escolhia o caminho, assentava-me como chefe, e habitava como rei entre as suas tropas, como aquele que consola os aflitos.