1 Y reanudó Job su discurso, y dijo:

And Job again took up his discussion and said,

2 “ ¡Quién me diera volver a ser como en meses pasados, Como en los días en que Dios velaba sobre mí;

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

3 C uando Su lámpara resplandecía sobre mi cabeza, Y a Su luz caminaba yo en las tinieblas;

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

4 C omo era yo en los días de mi juventud, Cuando el favor de Dios estaba sobre 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 el Todopoderoso (Shaddai) estaba aún conmigo, Y mis hijos en derredor mío;

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

6 C uando en leche se bañaban mis pies, Y la roca 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 yo salía a la puerta de la ciudad, Cuando en la plaza tomaba mi asiento,

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

8 M e veían los jóvenes y se escondían, Y los ancianos se levantaban y permanecían en pie.

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

9 L os príncipes dejaban de hablar Y ponían la mano sobre su boca;

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

10 L a voz de los nobles se apagaba, Y la lengua se les pegaba al paladar.

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

11 P orque el oído que oía me llamaba bienaventurado, Y el ojo que veía daba testimonio de mí;

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

12 P orque yo libraba al pobre que clamaba, Y al huérfano que no tenía quien lo ayudara.

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

13 V enía sobre mí la bendición del que estaba a punto de perecer, Y el corazón de la viuda yo llenaba de gozo.

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

14 D e justicia me vestía, y ella me cubría; Como manto y turbante era mi derecho.

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 O jos era yo para el ciego, Y pies para el cojo.

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

16 P adre era para los necesitados, Y examinaba la causa que no conocía.

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

17 Q uebraba los colmillos del impío, Y de sus dientes arrancaba la presa.

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

18 E ntonces pensaba: ‘En mi nido moriré, Y multiplicaré mis días como la arena.

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

19 M i raíz se extiende hacia las aguas, Y el rocío se posa de noche en mi rama.

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

20 C onmigo siempre es nueva mi gloria, Y mi arco en mi mano se renueva.’

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

21 M e escuchaban y esperaban, Y guardaban silencio para oír mi consejo.

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

22 D espués de mis palabras no hablaban de nuevo, Y sobre ellos caía gota a gota mi discurso.

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 lluvia de primavera.

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

24 Y o les sonreía cuando ellos no 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 L es escogía el camino y me sentaba como jefe, Y moraba como rey entre las tropas, Como el que consuela a los que lloran.

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