1 Y volvió Job a tomar su parábola, y dijo:

And Job again took up his discussion and said,

2 ¡ Quién me volviera como en los meses pasados, como en los días cuando Dios me guardaba,

Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,

3 c uando hacía resplandecer su candela sobre mi cabeza, a la luz de la cual yo caminaba en la oscuridad;

When His lamp shone above and upon my head and by His light I walked through darkness;

4 c omo fue en los días de mi juventud, cuando Dios era familiar en mi tienda;

As I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship and counsel of God were over my tent,

5 c uando aún el Omnipotente estaba conmigo, y mis hijos alrededor de mí;

When the Almighty was yet with me and my children were about me,

6 c uando lavaba yo mis caminos con manteca, y la piedra me derramaba ríos de aceite!

When my steps were washed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 C uando salía a la puerta a juicio, y en la plaza hacía aparejar mi silla,

When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the street,

8 L os jóvenes me veían, y se escondían; y los viejos se levantaban, y estaban en pie.

The young men saw me and hid themselves; the aged rose up and stood;

9 L os príncipes detenían sus palabras; ponían la mano sobre su boca;

The princes refrained from talking and laid their hands on their mouths;

10 l a voz de los principales se ocultaba, y su lengua se pegaba a su paladar;

The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues cleaved to the roof of their mouths.

11 c uando los oídos que me oían, me llamaban bienaventurado, y los ojos que me veían, me daban testimonio.

For when the ear heard, it called me happy and blessed me; and when the eye saw, it testified for me,

12 P orque libraba al pobre que gritaba, y al huérfano que carecía de ayudador.

Because I delivered the poor who cried, the fatherless and him who had none to help him.

13 L a bendición del que se iba a perder venía sobre mí; y al corazón de la viuda daba alegría.

The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

14 M e vestía de justicia, y ella me cubría como un manto; y mi diadema era juicio.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me or clothed itself with me; my justice was like a robe and a turban or a diadem or a crown!

15 Y o era ojos al ciego, y pies al cojo.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

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

I was a father to the poor and needy; the cause of him I did not know I searched out.

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

And I broke the jaws or the big teeth of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

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

Then I said, I shall die in or beside my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

19 M i raíz está abierta junto a las aguas, y en mis ramas permanecerá rocío.

My root is spread out and open to the waters, and the dew lies all night upon my branch.

20 M i gloria se renueva conmigo, y mi arco se renueva en mi mano.

My glory and honor are fresh in me, and my bow gains new strength in my hand.

21 M e oían, y esperaban; y callaban a mi consejo.

Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel.

22 T ras mi palabra no replicaban, mas mi razón destilaba sobre ellos.

After I spoke, they did not speak again, and my speech dropped upon them.

23 M e esperaban como a la lluvia, y abrían su boca como a la lluvia tardía.

And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths wide as for the spring rain.

24 S i me reía a ellos, no lo creían; y no abatían la luz de mi rostro.

I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and their depression did not cast down the light of my countenance.

25 A probaba el camino de ellos, y me sentaba en cabecera; y moraba como rey en el ejército, como el que consuela llorosos.

I chose their way and sat as chief, and dwelt like a king among his soldiers, like one who comforts mourners.