1 Y VOLVIO Job á tomar su propósito, y dijo:

2 Quién me tornase como en los meses pasados, Como en los días que Dios me guardaba,

3 Cuando hacía resplandecer su candela sobre mi cabeza, A la luz de la cual yo caminaba en la oscuridad;

4 Como fué en los días de mi mocedad, Cuando el secreto de Dios estaba en mi tienda;

5 Cuando aún el Omnipotente estaba conmigo, Y mis hijos alrededor de mi;

6 Cuando lavaba yo mis caminos con manteca, Y la piedra me derramaba ríos de aceite!

7 Cuando salía á la puerta á juicio, Y en la plaza hacía preparar mi asiento,

8 Los mozos me veían, y se escondían; Y los viejos se levantaban, y estaban en pie;

9 Los príncipes detenían sus palabras, Ponían la mano sobre su boca;

10 La voz de los principales se ocultaba, Y su lengua se pegaba á su paladar:

11 Cuando los oídos que me oían, me llamaban bienaventurado, Y los ojos que me veían, me daban testimonio:

12 Porque libraba al pobre que gritaba, Y al huérfano que carecía de ayudador.

13 La bendición del que se iba á perder venía sobre mí; Y al corazón de la viuda daba alegría.

14 Vestíame de justicia, y ella me vestía como un manto; Y mi toca era juicio.

15 Yo era ojos al ciego, Y pies al cojo.

16 A los menesterosos era padre; Y de la causa que no entendía, me informaba con diligencia:

17 Y quebraba los colmillos del inicuo, Y de sus dientes hacía soltar la presa.

18 Y decía yo: En mi nido moriré, Y como arena multiplicaré días.

19 Mi raíz estaba abierta junto á las aguas, Y en mis ramas permanecía el rocío.

20 Mi honra se renovaba en mí, Y mi arco se corroboraba en mi mano.

21 Oíanme, y esperaban; Y callaban á mi consejo.

22 Tras mi palabra no replicaban, Y mi razón destilaba sobre ellos.

23 Y esperábanme como á la lluvia, Y abrían su boca como á la lluvia tardía.

24 Si me reía con ellos, no lo creían: Y no abatían la luz de mi rostro.

25 Calificaba yo el camino de ellos, y sentábame en cabecera; Y moraba como rey en el ejército, Como el que consuela llorosos.

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. ...