Job 29
1 And Job again took up his parable, and said:
| ויסף איוב שאת משלו ויאמר |
2 Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
| מי-יתנני כירחי-קדם כימי אלוה ישמרני |
3 When His lamp shined above my head, and by His light I walked through darkness;
| בהלו נרו עלי ראשי לאורו אלך חשך |
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the converse of God was upon my tent;
| כאשר הייתי בימי חרפי בסוד אלוה עלי אהלי |
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were about me;
| בעוד שדי עמדי סביבותי נערי |
6 When my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil!
| ברחץ הליכי בחמה וצור יצוק עמדי פלגי-שמן |
7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place,
| בצאתי שער עלי-קרת ברחוב אכין מושבי |
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood;
| ראוני נערים ונחבאו וישישים קמו עמדו |
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth;
| שרים עצרו במלים וכף ישימו לפיהם |
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
| קול-נגידים נחבאו ולשונם לחכם דבקה |
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me;
| כי אזן שמעה ותאשרני ועין ראתה ותעידני |
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless also, that had none to help him.
| כי-אמלט עני משוע ויתום ולא-עזר לו |
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
| ברכת אבד עלי תבא ולב אלמנה ארנן |
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; my justice was as a robe and a diadem.
| צדק לבשתי וילבשני כמעיל וצניף משפטי |
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
| עינים הייתי לעור ורגלים לפסח אני |
16 I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
| אב אנכי לאביונים ורב לא-ידעתי אחקרהו |
17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
| ואשברה מתלעות עול ומשניו אשליך טרף |
18 Then I said: 'I shall die with my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the phoenix;
| ואמר עם-קני אגוע וכחול ארבה ימים |
19 My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew shall lie all night upon my branch;
| שרשי פתוח אלי-מים וטל ילין בקצירי |
20 My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in my hand.'
| כבודי חדש עמדי וקשתי בידי תחליף |
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
| לי-שמעו ויחלו וידמו למו עצתי |
22 After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
| אחרי דברי לא ישנו ועלימו תטף מלתי |
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
| ויחלו כמטר לי ופיהם פערו למלקוש |
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
| אשחק אלהם לא יאמינו ואור פני לא יפילון |
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
| אבחר דרכם ואשב ראש ואשכון כמלך בגדוד כאשר אבלים ינחם |
