Giobbe 29
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Job 29
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Giobbe riprese il suo discorso e disse: | And Job again took up the word and said, |
"Oh foss’io come ne’ mesi d’una volta, come ne’ giorni in cui Dio mi proteggeva, | If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me! |
quando la sua lampada mi risplendeva sul capo, e alla sua luce io camminavo nelle tenebre! | When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light. |
Oh fossi com’ero a’ giorni della mia maturità, quando Iddio vegliava amico sulla mia tenda, | As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God; |
quando l’Onnipotente stava ancora meco, e avevo i miei figliuoli d’intorno; | While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me; |
quando mi lavavo i piedi nel latte e dalla roccia mi fluivano ruscelli d’olio! | When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me. |
Allorché uscivo per andare alla porta della città e mi facevo preparare il seggio sulla piazza, | When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place, |
i giovani, al vedermi, si ritiravano, i vecchi s’alzavano e rimanevano in piedi; | The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats; |
i maggiorenti cessavan di parlare e si mettevan la mano sulla bocca; | The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths; |
la voce dei capi diventava muta, la lingua s’attaccava al loro palato. | The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths. |
L’orecchio che mi udiva, mi diceva beato; l’occhio che mi vedeva mi rendea testimonianza, | For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me; |
perché salvavo il misero che gridava aiuto, e l’orfano che non aveva chi lo soccorresse. | For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter. |
Scendea su me la benedizione di chi stava per perire, e facevo esultare il cuor della vedova. | The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart. |
La giustizia era il mio vestimento ed io il suo; la probità era come il mio mantello e il mio turbante. | I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress. |
Ero l’occhio del cieco, il piede dello zoppo; | I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking. |
ero il padre de’ poveri, e studiavo a fondo la causa dello sconosciuto. | I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me. |
Spezzavo la ganascia all’iniquo, e gli facevo lasciar la preda che avea fra i denti. | By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away. |
E dicevo: "Morrò nel mio nido, e moltiplicherò i miei giorni come la rena; | Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number; |
le mie radici si stenderanno verso l’acque, la rugiada passerà la notte sui miei rami; | My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches, |
la mia gloria sempre si rinnoverà, e l’arco rinverdirà nella mia mano". | My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand. |
Gli astanti m’ascoltavano pieni d’aspettazione, si tacevan per udire il mio parere. | Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions. |
Quand’avevo parlato, non replicavano; la mia parola scendeva su loro come una rugiada. | After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts; |
E m’aspettavan come s’aspetta la pioggia; aprivan larga la bocca come a un acquazzone di primavera. | They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains. |
Io sorridevo loro quand’erano sfiduciati; e non potevano oscurar la luce del mio volto. | I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear. |
Quando andavo da loro, mi sedevo come capo, ed ero come un re fra le sue schiere, come un consolatore in mezzo agli afflitti. | I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ... |