Job 29
1 Og Job vedblev at fremsætte sit Tankesprog:
Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 Ak, havde jeg det som tilforn, som dengang Gud tog sig af mig,
“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 da hans Lampe lyste over mit Hoved, og jeg ved hans Lys vandt frem i Mørke,
when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 som i mine modne Aar, da Guds Fortrolighed var over mit Telt,
as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
5 da den Almægtige end var hos mig og mine Drenge var om mig,
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
6 da mine Fødder vaded i Fløde, og Olie strømmede, hvor jeg stod,
when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
7 da jeg gik ud til Byens Port og rejste mit Sæde paa Torvet.
when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
8 Naar Ungdommen saa mig, gemte den sig, Oldinge rejste sig op og stod,
The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
9 Høvdinger standsed i Talen og lagde Haand paa Mund,
The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 Stormænds Røst forstummed, deres Tunge klæbed til Ganen;
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 Øret hørte og priste mig lykkelig, Øjet saa og tilkendte mig Ære.
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
12 Thi jeg redded den arme, der skreg om Hjælp, den faderløse, der savned en Hjælper;
because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
13 den, det gik skævt, velsignede mig, jeg frydede Enkens Hjerte;
the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 jeg klædte mig i Retfærd, og den i mig, i Ret som Kappe og Hovedbind.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 Jeg var den blindes Øje, jeg var den lammes Fod;
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
16 jeg var de fattiges Fader, udreded den mig ukendtes Sag;
I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
17 den lovløses Tænder brød jeg, rev Byttet ud af hans Gab.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Saa tænkte jeg da: »Jeg skal dø i min Rede, leve saa længe som Føniksfuglen;
Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
19 min Rod kan Vand komme til, Duggen har Nattely i mine Grene;
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 min Ære er altid ny, min Bue er altid ung i min Haand!«
My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 Mig hørte de paa og bied, var tavse, mens jeg gav Raad;
“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 ingen tog Ordet, naar jeg havde talt, mine Ord faldt kvægende paa dem;
After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.
23 de bied paa mig som paa Regn, spærred Munden op efter Vaarregn.
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 Mistrøstige smilte jeg til, mit Aasyns Lys fik de ej til at svinde.
I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.
25 Vejen valgte jeg for dem og sad som Høvding, troned som Konge blandt Hærmænd, som den, der gav sørgende Trøst.
I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
