Job 29
1 Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:
Då heldt Job fram med talen sin og sagde:
2 Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?
«Å, var eg som i fordums måna’r, som den gong Gud mi verja var,
3 When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?
då yver meg hans lampa skein, som lyste meg i myrkret fram,
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?
slik som eg var i mogne manndom, då Gud var ven i huset mitt,
5 When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?
då Allvald endå med meg var, og mine born eg kring meg såg,
6 When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?
då eg i fløyte foten tvådde, og olje rann av fjellet nær meg,
7 When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?
då eg til porten steig i byen, og sessen min på torget tok!
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.
Ungdomen såg meg, løynde seg; dei gamle reiste seg og stod;
9 The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.
hovdingar stogga midt i talen og lagde handi på sin munn;
10 The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.
og røysti tagna hjå dei gjæve, og tunga seg til gomen kleimde;
11 The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:
dei som meg høyrde, sælka meg, og dei som såg meg, vitna for meg.
12 Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper.
Eg berga arming når han ropa, og farlaus som var utan hjelp;
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.
velsigning fekk eg frå forkomne, og enkjor fekk eg til å jubla.
14 I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.
Rettferd var min, eg hennar bunad; rett var mi kappa og mi kruna.
15 I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.
Eg for den blinde auga var, og føter var eg for den halte.
16 I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
Ein far eg var for fatigfolk; eg for ukjende saki granska.
17 I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.
På brotsmann tennerne eg knekte, reiv fengdi utor gapet hans.
18 And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.
Eg sagde: «I reiret skal eg døy, med dagar talrike som sand.
19 My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.
Til roti mi skal vatnet trengja, dogg bu ved natt på greini mi;
20 My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.
mi æra held seg frisk hjå meg, bogen vert ny handi mi.»
21 They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.
Dei høyrde ventande på meg, og lydde stilt på rådi mi.
22 To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.
Og ikkje la dei mot mitt ord, min tale draup ned yver deim.
23 They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.
På meg dei bia som på regn, ja, som vårregn opna munnen.
24 If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.
Eg smilte til mismodige, mitt andlit fekk dei ikkje myrkt.
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.
Når eg deim vitja, sat eg fremst, sat som ein konge i sin herflokk, lik ein som trøystar syrgjande.
