1 T hen Job spoke again and said,

Volvió Job a reanudar su discurso y dijo:

2 “ If only I could be now as I was in the months past when God watched over me!

«¡Quién me volviera como en los meses pasados, como en los días en que Dios me guardaba,

3 H is lamp shined over my head then and by His light I walked through darkness.

cuando sobre mi cabeza hacía resplandecer su lámpara y a su luz caminaba yo en la oscuridad!

4 T hose days were my best days when God was my friend watching over my tent.

¡Así fue en los días de mi juventud, cuando el favor de Dios protegía mi morada;

5 T he All-powerful was still with me, and my children were around me.

cuando aún estaba conmigo el Omnipotente y mis hijos me rodeaban;

6 M y path was washed with milk, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me.

cuando yo lavaba mis pies con leche y la piedra me derramaba ríos de aceite!

7 W hen I went to the city gate and took my place with the leaders of the city,

Entonces yo salía a la puerta, a juicio, y en la plaza hacía preparar mi asiento.

8 t he young men saw me and let me go by. The old men rose and stood.

Al verme, los jóvenes se escondían, los ancianos se levantaban y permanecían en pie,

9 T he leaders stopped talking, and put their hands on their mouths.

los príncipes dejaban de hablar y se tapaban la boca con la mano,

10 T he voices of the rulers were quiet. Their tongues held to the roof of their mouths.

y la voz de los principales se apagaba y se les pegaba la lengua al paladar.

11 T hose who heard me, honored me. Those who saw me, respected me,

Entonces los que me oían me llamaban bienaventurado, y los que me veían testimoniaban a favor mío,

12 b ecause I helped the poor man when he cried for help and the child without parents who had no one to help him.

porque yo libraba al pobre que clamaba y al huérfano que carecía de ayudador.

13 G ood came to me from the man who was dying. And I made the heart of the woman whose husband had died sing for joy.

La bendición venía sobre mí del que estaba a punto de perderse, y al corazón de la viuda yo procuraba alegría.

14 I put on what was right and good, and it clothed me. The right things done were my coat and head-covering.

Iba yo vestido de justicia, cubierto con ella; como manto y diadema era mi rectitud.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the man who could not walk.

Yo era ojos para el ciego, pies para el cojo

16 I was a father to those in need. And I helped those I did not know who had a need.

y padre para los necesitados. De la causa que no entendía, me informaba con diligencia;

17 I broke the jaws of the sinful, and took from their teeth what they had taken.

y quebrantaba los colmillos del inicuo; de sus dientes le hacía soltar la presa.

18 T hen I thought, ‘I will die in my nest. My days will be as many as the sand.

Decía yo: “En mi nido moriré. Como arena multiplicaré mis días.”

19 M y roots go to the water. As the water is on the grass in the early morning, it will be all night on my branches.

Mi raíz estaba abierta junto a las aguas, en mis ramas permanecía el rocío,

20 M y honor is always new to me, and my bow is new in my hand.’

mi honra se renovaba en mí y mi arco se fortalecía en mi mano.

21 “ Men listened to me and waited. They were quiet so they could hear my words of wisdom.

»Los que me escuchaban, esperaban callados mi consejo;

22 A fter I spoke, they did not speak again. My words stayed with them.

tras mi palabra no replicaban, pues mi razón destilaba sobre ellos.

23 T hey waited for me as for rain. And they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.

Me esperaban como a la lluvia; abrían su boca como a la lluvia tardía.

24 I looked at them with joy when they were not sure of themselves, and the light of my face gave them comfort.

Si me reía con ellos, no se lo creían; pero no dejaban que se apagara la luz de mi rostro.

25 I decided the way for them and sat as their leader. I lived as a king among his army, and like one who gives comfort to those in sorrow.

Yo les indicaba su camino y me sentaba entre ellos como el jefe. Vivía como un rey en medio de su ejército, o como el que consuela a los que lloran.