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

Job again took up 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 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 on 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 of God was in 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 around 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 streams of oil for me,

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

when I went out to the city gate, 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 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 nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck 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.

For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:

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

Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, 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 him who was ready to perish came on 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. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

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. The cause of him who I didn’t know, I searched out.

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

I broke the jaws 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 my own house, I shall number 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 to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

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

My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’

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

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

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

After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.

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

They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with 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. They didn’t reject the light of my face.

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 out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.