1 Y VOLVIO Job á tomar su propósito, y dijo:

Job again took up his parable, and said,

2 Q uién me tornase como en los meses pasados, Como en los días que 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 fué en los días de mi mocedad, Cuando el secreto de Dios estaba 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 mi;

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 á la puerta á juicio, Y en la plaza hacía preparar mi asiento,

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

8 L os mozos 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 á 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 á 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 V estíame de justicia, y ella me vestía como un manto; Y mi toca 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 estaba abierta junto á las aguas, Y en mis ramas permanecía el rocío.

My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

20 M i honra se renovaba en mí, Y mi arco se corroboraba en mi mano.

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

21 O íanme, y esperaban; Y callaban á mi consejo.

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

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

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

23 Y esperábanme como á la lluvia, Y abrían su boca como á la lluvia tardía.

They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

24 S i me reía con 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 C alificaba yo el camino de ellos, y sentábame 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.