Job 29
1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
| ויסף איוב שאת משלו ויאמר |
2 O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;
| מי-יתנני כירחי-קדם כימי אלוה ישמרני |
3 When his lamp shined over my head, And when by his light I walked through darkness!
| בהלו נרו עלי ראשי לאורו אלך חשך |
4 As I was in the autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;
| כאשר הייתי בימי חרפי בסוד אלוה עלי אהלי |
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;
| בעוד שדי עמדי סביבותי נערי |
6 When I bathed my steps in milk, 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 by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,
| בצאתי שער עלי-קרת ברחוב אכין מושבי |
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose and stood.
| ראוני נערים ונחבאו וישישים קמו עמדו |
9 The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth.
| שרים עצרו במלים וכף ישימו לפיהם |
10 The nobles held their peace, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
| קול-נגידים נחבאו ולשונם לחכם דבקה |
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.
| כי אזן שמעה ותאשרני ועין ראתה ותעידני |
12 For I delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who 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 heart of the widow to sing for joy.
| ברכת אבד עלי תבא ולב אלמנה ארנן |
14 I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and 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 poor, And the cause of him I knew not I searched out;
| אב אנכי לאביונים ורב לא-ידעתי אחקרהו |
17 And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.
| ואשברה מתלעות עול ומשניו אשליך טרף |
18 Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall multiply my days as the sand.
| ואמר עם-קני אגוע וכחול ארבה ימים |
19 My root is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.
| שרשי פתוח אלי-מים וטל ילין בקצירי |
20 My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength in my hand.”
| כבודי חדש עמדי וקשתי בידי תחליף |
21 To me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
| לי-שמעו ויחלו וידמו למו עצתי |
22 To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon them.
| אחרי דברי לא ישנו ועלימו תטף מלתי |
23 Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.
| ויחלו כמטר לי ופיהם פערו למלקוש |
24 If I smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
| אשחק אלהם לא יאמינו ואור פני לא יפילון |
25 When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.
| אבחר דרכם ואשב ראש ואשכון כמלך בגדוד כאשר אבלים ינחם |
