Job 29
1 And Job again took up his discourse, and said,
Og Job vedblev at fremsætte sit Tankesprog:
2 O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,
Ak, havde jeg det som tilforn, som dengang Gud tog sig af mig,
3 when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
da hans Lampe lyste over mit Hoved, og jeg ved hans Lys vandt frem i Mørke,
4 as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was upon my tent,
som i mine modne Aar, da Guds Fortrolighed var over mit Telt,
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my sons were about me,
da den Almægtige end var hos mig og mine Drenge var om mig,
6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil to me,
da mine Fødder vaded i Fløde, og Olie strømmede, hvor jeg stod,
7 when I went forth to the gate to the city, when I prepared my seat in the street.
da jeg gik ud til Byens Port og rejste mit Sæde paa Torvet.
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood.
Naar Ungdommen saa mig, gemte den sig, Oldinge rejste sig op og stod,
9 The rulers refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
Høvdinger standsed i Talen og lagde Haand paa Mund,
10 The voice of the ranking men was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
Stormænds Røst forstummed, deres Tunge klæbed til Ganen;
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.
Øret hørte og priste mig lykkelig, Øjet saa og tilkendte mig Ære.
12 Because I delivered the poor who cried, also the fatherless who had none to help him.
Thi jeg redded den arme, der skreg om Hjælp, den faderløse, der savned en Hjælper;
13 The blessing of him who was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
den, det gik skævt, velsignede mig, jeg frydede Enkens Hjerte;
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
jeg klædte mig i Retfærd, og den i mig, i Ret som Kappe og Hovedbind.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame.
Jeg var den blindes Øje, jeg var den lammes Fod;
16 I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the case of him whom I did not know.
jeg var de fattiges Fader, udreded den mig ukendtes Sag;
17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
den lovløses Tænder brød jeg, rev Byttet ud af hans Gab.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
Saa tænkte jeg da: »Jeg skal dø i min Rede, leve saa længe som Føniksfuglen;
19 My root is spread out to the waters, and the dew lays all night upon my branch.
min Rod kan Vand komme til, Duggen har Nattely i mine Grene;
20 My glory is fresh in me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.
min Ære er altid ny, min Bue er altid ung i min Haand!«
21 To me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
Mig hørte de paa og bied, var tavse, mens jeg gav Raad;
22 After my words they spoke not again, and my speech distilled upon them.
ingen tog Ordet, naar jeg havde talt, mine Ord faldt kvægende paa dem;
23 And they waited for me as for the rain. And they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
de bied paa mig som paa Regn, spærred Munden op efter Vaarregn.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and they did not cast down the light of my countenance.
Mistrøstige smilte jeg til, mit Aasyns Lys fik de ej til at svinde.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as a man who comforts the mourners.
Vejen valgte jeg for dem og sad som Høvding, troned som Konge blandt Hærmænd, som den, der gav sørgende Trøst.
