Job 29
1 And Job again took up his parable, and said:
Då heldt Job fram med talen sin og sagde:
2 Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
«Å, var eg som i fordums måna’r, som den gong Gud mi verja var,
3 When His lamp shined above my head, and by His light I walked through darkness;
då yver meg hans lampa skein, som lyste meg i myrkret fram,
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the converse of God was upon my tent;
slik som eg var i mogne manndom, då Gud var ven i huset mitt,
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were about me;
då Allvald endå med meg var, og mine born eg kring meg såg,
6 When my steps were washed 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 forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place,
då eg til porten steig i byen, og sessen min på torget tok!
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood;
Ungdomen såg meg, løynde seg; dei gamle reiste seg og stod;
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth;
hovdingar stogga midt i talen og lagde handi på sin munn;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
og røysti tagna hjå dei gjæve, og tunga seg til gomen kleimde;
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me;
dei som meg høyrde, sælka meg, og dei som såg meg, vitna for meg.
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless also, that had none to help him.
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 caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
velsigning fekk eg frå forkomne, og enkjor fekk eg til å jubla.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; my justice was as a robe and a diadem.
Rettferd var min, eg hennar bunad; rett var mi kappa og mi kruna.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
Eg for den blinde auga var, og føter var eg for den halte.
16 I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
Ein far eg var for fatigfolk; eg for ukjende saki granska.
17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
På brotsmann tennerne eg knekte, reiv fengdi utor gapet hans.
18 Then I said: 'I shall die with my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the phoenix;
Eg sagde: «I reiret skal eg døy, med dagar talrike som sand.
19 My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew shall lie all night upon my branch;
Til roti mi skal vatnet trengja, dogg bu ved natt på greini mi;
20 My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in my hand.'
mi æra held seg frisk hjå meg, bogen vert ny handi mi.»
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
Dei høyrde ventande på meg, og lydde stilt på rådi mi.
22 After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
Og ikkje la dei mot mitt ord, min tale draup ned yver deim.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
På meg dei bia som på regn, ja, som vårregn opna munnen.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
Eg smilte til mismodige, mitt andlit fekk dei ikkje myrkt.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
Når eg deim vitja, sat eg fremst, sat som ein konge i sin herflokk, lik ein som trøystar syrgjande.
