1 J ó prosseguiu sua fala:

Then Job spoke again and said,

2 “ Como tenho saudade dos meses que se passaram, dos dias em que Deus cuidava de mim,

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

3 q uando a sua lâmpada brilhava sobre a minha cabeça e por sua luz eu caminhava em meio às trevas!

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

4 C omo tenho saudade dos dias do meu vigor, quando a amizade de Deus abençoava a minha casa,

Those days were my best days when God was my friend watching over my tent.

5 q uando o Todo-poderoso ainda estava comigo e meus filhos estavam ao meu redor,

The All-powerful was still with me, and my children were around me.

6 q uando as minhas veredas se embebiam em nata e a rocha me despejava torrentes de azeite.

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

7 “ Quando eu ia à porta da cidade e tomava assento na praça pública;

When I went to the city gate and took my place with the leaders of the city,

8 q uando, ao me verem, os jovens saíam do caminho, e os idosos ficavam em pé;

the young men saw me and let me go by. The old men rose and stood.

9 o s líderes se abstinham de falar e com a mão cobriam a boca.

The leaders stopped talking, and put their hands on their mouths.

10 A s vozes dos nobres silenciavam, e suas línguas colavam-se ao céu da boca.

The voices of the rulers were quiet. Their tongues held to the roof of their mouths.

11 T odos os que me ouviam falavam bem de mim, e quem me via me elogiava,

Those who heard me, honored me. Those who saw me, respected me,

12 p ois eu socorria o pobre que clamava por ajuda, e o órfão que não tinha quem o ajudasse.

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

13 O que estava à beira da morte me abençoava, e eu fazia regozijar-se o coração da viúva.

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

14 A retidão era a minha roupa; a justiça era o meu manto e o meu turbante.

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

15 E u era os olhos do cego e os pés do aleijado.

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

16 E u era o pai dos necessitados, e me interessava pela defesa de desconhecidos.

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

17 E u quebrava as presas dos ímpios e dos seus dentes arrancava as suas vítimas.

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

18 “ Eu pensava: Morrerei em casa, e os meus dias serão numerosos como os grãos de areia.

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

19 M inhas raízes chegarão até as águas, e o orvalho passará a noite nos meus ramos.

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

20 M inha glória se renovará em mim, e novo será o meu arco em minha mão.

My honor is always new to me, and my bow is new in my hand.’

21 “ Os homens me escutavam em ansiosa expectativa, aguardando em silêncio o meu conselho.

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

22 D epois que eu falava, eles nada diziam; minhas palavras caíam suavemente em seus ouvidos.

After I spoke, they did not speak again. My words stayed with them.

23 E speravam por mim como quem espera por uma chuvarada, e bebiam minhas palavras como quem bebe a chuva da primavera.

They waited for me as for rain. And they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.

24 Q uando eu lhes sorria, mal acreditavam; a luz do meu rosto lhes era preciosa.

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

25 E ra eu que escolhia o caminho para eles, e me assentava como seu líder; instalava-me como um rei no meio das suas tropas; eu era como um consolador dos que choram.

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.