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

¶ Moreover, Job continued his parable 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 months past, as in the days when God preserved 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 upon my head, and by its light I walked in the darkness;

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

as I was in the days of my youth, when God was familiar in my tent;

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

when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

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

when I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers 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 to judgment, when I had my seat prepared in the plaza!

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

The young men would see me and hide themselves, and the aged would arise and stand.

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

The princes would refrain from talking and lay their hand on their mouth;

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

the voice of the principals would not be noticed, and their tongue would cleave to the roof of their mouth.

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

When the ears that heard me, called me blessed; and when the eyes that saw me, gave witness to me:

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

because I delivered the poor that cried and the fatherless who had no one 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 the one that was ready 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 as a robe; and my diadem was judgment.

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

I was eyes to the blind and feet 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 needy; and the cause which 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 fangs of the wicked and caused their teeth to release the prey.

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

¶ Then I said, I shall die in 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 by the waters, and the dew shall remain upon my branches.

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

My glory is renewed with me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.

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

They would hear me and wait, and keep silent at my counsel.

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

After my words they would not reply, but my reason 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 mouth wide as for the latter rain.

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

If I laughed at them, they did not believe it; and they 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 approved their way and sat at the head and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforts the mourners.