Job 29
1 And Job continued and said in his parable,
| ויסף איוב שאת משלו ויאמר׃ |
2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!
| מי יתנני כירחי קדם כימי אלוה ישמרני׃ |
3 As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.
| בהלו נרו עלי ראשי לאורו אלך חשך׃ |
4 [As] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
| כאשר הייתי בימי חרפי בסוד אלוה עלי אהלי׃ |
5 When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
| בעוד שדי עמדי סביבותי נערי׃ |
6 when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
| ברחץ הליכי בחמה וצור יצוק עמדי פלגי שמן׃ |
7 When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
| בצאתי שער עלי קרת ברחוב אכין מושבי׃ |
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.
| ראוני נערים ונחבאו וישישים קמו עמדו׃ |
9 And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
| שרים עצרו במלים וכף ישימו לפיהם׃ |
10 And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
| קול נגידים נחבאו ולשונם לחכם דבקה׃ |
11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
| כי אזן שמעה ותאשרני ועין ראתה ותעידני׃ |
12 For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.
| כי אמלט עני משוע ויתום ולא עזר לו׃ |
13 Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
| ברכת אבד עלי תבא ולב אלמנה ארנן׃ |
14 Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.
| צדק לבשתי וילבשני כמעיל וצניף משפטי׃ |
15 I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
| עינים הייתי לעור ורגלים לפסח אני׃ |
16 I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
| אב אנכי לאביונים ורב לא ידעתי אחקרהו׃ |
17 And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
| ואשברה מתלעות עול ומשניו אשליך טרף׃ |
18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
| ואמר עם קני אגוע וכחול ארבה ימים׃ |
19 [My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
| שרשי פתוח אלי מים וטל ילין בקצירי׃ |
20 My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
| כבודי חדש עמדי וקשתי בידי תחליף׃ |
21 [Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
| לי שמעו ויחלו וידמו למו עצתי׃ |
22 At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.
| אחרי דברי לא ישנו ועלימו תטף מלתי׃ |
23 As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
| ויחלו כמטר לי ופיהם פערו למלקוש׃ |
24 Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
| אשחק אלהם לא יאמינו ואור פני לא יפילון׃ |
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.
| אבחר דרכם ואשב ראש ואשכון כמלך בגדוד כאשר אבלים ינחם׃ |
