Job relates his former happiness, and the respect that all men shewed him.

[1] Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:
Addidit quoque Job, assumens parabolam suam, et dixit :

[2] Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?
Quis mihi tribuat ut sim juxta menses pristinos, secundum dies quibus Deus custodiebat me?

[3] When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?
quando splendebat lucerna ejus super caput meum, et ad lumen ejus ambulabam in tenebris :

[4] As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?
sicut fui in diebus adolescentiae meae, quando secreto Deus erat in tabernaculo meo :

[5] When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?
quando erat Omnipotens mecum, et in circuitu meo pueri mei :

[6] When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?
quando lavabam pedes meos butyro, et petra fundebat mihi rivos olei :

[7] When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?
quando procedebam ad portam civitatis, et in platea parabant cathedram mihi.

[8] The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.
Videbant me juvenes, et abscondebantur : et senes assurgentes stabant.

[9] The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.
Principes cessabant loqui, et digitum superponebant ori suo.

[10] The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.
Vocem suam cohibebant duces, et lingua eorum gutturi suo adhaerebat.

[11] The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:
Auris audiens beatificabat me, et oculus videns testimonium, reddebat mihi :

[12] Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper.
eo quod liberassem pauperem vociferantem, et pupillum cui non esset adjutor.

[13] The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.
Benedictio perituri super me veniebat, et cor viduae consolatus sum.

[14] I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.
Justitia indutus sum, et vestivi me, sicut vestimento et diademate, judicio meo.

[15] I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.
Oculus fui caeco, et pes claudo.

[16] I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
Pater eram pauperum, et causam quam nesciebam diligentissime investigabam.

[17] I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.
Conterebam molas iniqui, et de dentibus illius auferebam praedam.

[18] And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.
Dicebamque : In nidulo meo moriar, et sicut palma multiplicabo dies.

[19] My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.
Radix mea aperta est secus aquas, et ros morabitur in messione mea.

[20] My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.
Gloria mea semper innovabitur, et arcus meus in manu mea instaurabitur.

[21] They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.
Qui me audiebant, expectabant sententiam, et intenti tacebant ad consilium meum.

[22] To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.
Verbis meis addere nihil audebant, et super illos stillabat eloquium meum.

[23] They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.
Expectabant me sicut pluviam, et os suum aperiebant quasi ad imbrem serotinum.

[24] If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.
Siquando ridebam ad eos, non credebant, et lux vultus mei non cadebat in terram.

[25] If I had a mind to go to them, I sat first, and when I sat as a king, with his army standing about him, yet I was a comforter of them that mourned.
Si voluissem ire ad eos, sedebam primus : cumque sederem quasi rex, circumstante exercitu, eram tamen moerentium consolator.