1 V olvió Job a reanudar su discurso, y dijo:

And Job again took up his discussion and said,

2 Q uién me volviese como en los meses pasados, Como en los días en 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 sobre mi cabeza su lámpara, A cuya luz yo caminaba en la oscuridad;

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

4 C omo fui en los días de mi juventud, Cuando el favor de Dios velaba 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 aún estaba conmigo el Omnipotente, Y mis hijos alrededor de mí;

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

6 C uando lavaba yo mis pasos con leche, Y la piedra 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 a juicio, Y en la plaza hacía preparar mi asiento,

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

8 L os jóvenes me veían, y se escondían; Y los ancianos se levantaban, y estaban de 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 hands on their mouths;

10 L a voz de los principales se apagaba, Y su lengua se pegaba a su paladar.

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

11 L os oídos que me oían me llamaban bienaventurado, Y los ojos que me veían me daban testimonio,

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 carecía de ayudador.

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

13 L a bendición del que se iba a perder venía sobre mí, Y al corazón de la viuda yo daba alegría.

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

14 M e vestía de justicia, y ella me cubría; Como manto y diadema era mi rectitud.

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 Y o era ojos al ciego, Y pies al cojo.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I 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 poor and needy; the cause of him I did not know I searched out.

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

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

18 D ecía yo: En mi nido moriré, Y como arena multiplicaré mis días.

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

19 M i raíz estaba abierta junto a las aguas, Y en mis ramas permanecía el rocío.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 la lluvia tardía.

And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths wide as for 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, and their depression did not cast down the light of my countenance.

25 C alificaba yo el camino de ellos, y me sentaba entre ellos como el jefe; Y moraba como rey en el ejército, 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.