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ヨブの最後の弁明
1ヨブの弁明の続き。
2「神が目をかけてくださった昔がなつかしい。
3神が私の歩く道を照らしたので、
暗がりを歩いても守られた。
4まだ若かったころ、神の温かい思いやりは、
家の中でも感じられた。
5全能者は私とともにおり、子どもたちも回りにいた。
6手がけることはみなうまくいき、
岩も、私のためにオリーブ油を流れ出した。
7あのころ、私は町の門に行くと、長老の席に座った。
8青年たちは私を見ると道をあけ、
年老いた者も、わざわざ起立して敬意を表した。
9領主たちは話しをやめ、手を口にあてた。
10首長たちも声をひそめた。
11だれもが私の言うことに聞き惚れ、私をほめそやした。
12私は曲がったことの嫌いな裁判官として、
生活苦にあえぐ貧しい人や、
身寄りのない子どもたちを助けてきた。
13死にかかっている者に救いの手を伸ばすと、
彼らは私を祝福した。
未亡人には、喜びの歌を歌えるようにしてやった。
14私のすることはみな正しく、うそ偽りがなかった。
正義こそ、私の衣だったのだ。
15盲人には目となり、
足の不自由な人には足となって仕えた。
16貧しい者には父親のようになり、
一面識もない者でも、
公平な裁判が受けられるように面倒をみた。
17神を信じない無法者の牙を折り、
彼らの口にくわえられていた犠牲者を助け出した。
18そこで考えたものだ。
『きっと私は幸せに満ちた長寿を全うし、
居心地の良い部屋で静かな最期を迎えるだろう』と。
19私のすることはみな栄え、畑は夜露でうるおった。
20次々と名誉が与えられ、
私の能力は日ごとに高くなり、さえわたった。
21だれもが私のことばに耳を傾け、私の意見を尊重した。
人々は私が発言するまで静粛そのものだった。
22そして話し終えると、それ以上何も言わなかった。
私の助言が彼らを満足させたからだ。
23彼らは日照りのとき雨を待ちこがれる人のように
口を大きく開き、
私が語りだすのを真剣な顔で待った。
24失意に沈んでいるときでも、
私が笑っただけで元気づき、明るさを取り戻した。
25私は彼らに何をどうすべきかを教えた。
また、指導者として、軍を指揮する王として、
嘆く者を慰める者として、彼らに接した。
Job’s Final Speech
1Job continued to speak. He said,
2“How I long for the times when things were better!
That’s when God watched over me.
3The light of his lamp shone on me.
I walked through darkness by his light.
4Those were the best days of my life.
That’s when God’s friendship blessed my house.
5The Mighty One was still with me.
My children were all around me.
6The path in front of me was like sweet cream.
It was as if the rock poured out olive oil for me.
7“In those days I went to the city gate.
I took my seat as a member of the council.
8Young people who saw me stepped to one side.
Old people stood up as I approached.
9The leaders stopped speaking.
They covered their mouths with their hands.
10The voices of the nobles became quiet.
Their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11Everyone who heard me said good things about me.
Those who saw me honored me.
12That’s because I saved poor people who cried out for help.
I saved helpless children whose fathers had died.
13Those who were dying gave me their blessing.
I made the hearts of widows sing.
14I put on a godly life as if it were my clothes.
Fairness was my robe and my turban.
15I was like eyes for those who were blind.
I was like feet for those who couldn’t walk.
16I was like a father to needy people.
I stood up for strangers in court.
17Sinners are like animals that have powerful teeth.
But I took from their mouths the people they had caught.
18“I thought, ‘I’ll die in my own house.
The days of my life will be as many as the grains of sand.
19My roots will reach down to the water.
The dew will lie all night on my branches.
20I will remain healthy and strong.
My bow will stay as good as new in my hand.’
21“People wanted to hear what I had to say.
They waited silently for the advice I gave them.
22After I had spoken, they didn’t speak anymore.
My words fell gently on their ears.
23They waited for me just as they would wait for rain showers.
They drank my words just as they would drink the spring rain.
24When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it.
The light of my face lifted their spirits.
25I chose the way they should go. I sat as their chief.
I lived as a king lives among his troops.
I was like someone who comforts those who are sad.
