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

And Job again took up his parable, 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 shined 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 of God was upon 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 me out streams of oil!

7 C uando yo salía a la puerta a juicio, Y en la plaza hacía preparar mi asiento,

When I went forth to the gate unto 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, And 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 apagaba, Y su lengua se pegaba a su paladar.

The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

11 L os 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 gave witness unto me:

12 P orque yo libraba al pobre que clamaba, Y al huérfano que carecía de ayudador.

Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that 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 that was ready 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: 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 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 needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

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

And I brake the jaws 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 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 to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch;

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

My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.

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

Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.

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

After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled 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 mouth wide as for the latter 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 the light of my countenance they cast not down.

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 out their way, and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners.