Fin de la discusión
1 Una vez más, Job respondió:
2 «¡Extraño aquellos tiempos,
cuando Dios mismo me cuidaba!
3 ¡No me daba miedo la oscuridad
porque Dios alumbraba mi camino!
4 ¡Estaba yo joven y fuerte,
y Dios me bendecía con su amistad!
5 »En aquellos días,
mis hijos me rodeaban
y Dios me daba su apoyo;
6 no faltaba en mi mesa la leche,
ni en mi cabeza el perfume;
7 en los tribunales del pueblo
se reconocía mi autoridad;
8 al verme llegar,
los jóvenes me daban paso
y los ancianos me recibían de pie;
9-10 aun la gente más importante
se callaba en mi presencia,
o hablaba en voz baja.
11 Los que me escuchaban
no dejaban de felicitarme.
12 A los pobres y a los huérfanos
que me pedían ayuda
siempre los ayudé;
13 las viudas y los pobres
me bendecían y gritaban de alegría.
14 Siempre traté a los demás
con justicia y rectitud;
para mí, actuar así,
era como ponerme la ropa.
15 Fui guía de los ciegos
y apoyo de los desvalidos;
16 protegí a la gente pobre
y defendí a los extranjeros;
17 puse fin al poder de los malvados,
y no los dejé hacer más daño.
18 »Hasta llegué a pensar:
“Viviré una larga vida,
y tendré una muerte tranquila.
19 Estaré fuerte y lleno de vida,
como árbol bien regado.
20 Nadie me faltará el respeto,
ni jamás perderé mi buena fama”.
21 »Ante mí, todos guardaban silencio
y esperaban recibir mis consejos.
22 Mis palabras eran bien recibidas,
y nadie me contradecía.
23 Mis discursos eran esperados
como se espera la lluvia.
24 Si les sonreía, no podían creerlo;
una sonrisa mía les daba ánimo.
25 Si estaban enfermos,
me sentaba a consolarlos,
y les decía lo que debían hacer.
¡Me veían como un rey
al frente de su ejército!
1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, 2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; 3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; 4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; 5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; 6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! 8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. 9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. 10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. 11 When the ear heard me , then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me , it gave witness to me: 12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. 15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. 16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. 17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. 19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. 20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. 21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. 22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. 23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. 24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. 25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.