< Job 29 >

1 And Job again took up his measure, and said,
וַיֹּסֶף אִיּוֹב שְׂאֵת מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2 Oh that it were with me as in the months of old, as in the days, when, GOD, used to watch over me;
מִֽי־יִתְּנֵנִי כְיַרְחֵי־קֶדֶם כִּימֵי אֱלוֹהַּ יִשְׁמְרֵֽנִי׃
3 When his lamp shone over my head, by whose light, I could go through darkness;
בְּהִלּוֹ נֵרוֹ עֲלֵי רֹאשִׁי לְאוֹרוֹ אֵלֶךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
4 As I was, in the days of my prime, when, the intimacy of GOD, was over my tent;
כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיִיתִי בִּימֵי חׇרְפִּי בְּסוֹד אֱלוֹהַּ עֲלֵי אׇהֳלִֽי׃
5 While yet the Almighty was with me, round about me, were my young men;
בְּעוֹד שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי סְבִיבוֹתַי נְעָרָֽי׃
6 When my steps were bathed in milk, and, the rock, poured out beside me, rivulets of oil:
בִּרְחֹץ הֲלִיכַי בְּחֵמָה וְצוּר יָצוּק עִמָּדִי פַּלְגֵי־שָֽׁמֶן׃
7 When I went out to the gate unto the city, in the open place, made ready my seat,
בְּצֵאתִי שַׁעַר עֲלֵי־קָרֶת בָּרְחוֹב אָכִין מוֹשָׁבִֽי׃
8 Young men saw me, and hid themselves, and, the aged, arose—they stood;
רָאוּנִי נְעָרִים וְנֶחְבָּאוּ וִישִׁישִׁים קָמוּ עָמָֽדוּ׃
9 Rulers, restrained speech, and, a hand, laid they on their mouth;
שָׂרִים עָצְרוּ בְמִלִּים וְכַף יָשִׂימוּ לְפִיהֶֽם׃
10 The voice of nobles, was hushed, and their tongue to their palate, did cleave;
קוֹל־נְגִידִים נֶחְבָּאוּ וּלְשׁוֹנָם לְחִכָּם דָּבֵֽקָה׃
11 When, the ear, heard, then it pronounced me happy, When, the eye, saw, then it bare me witness;
כִּי אֹזֶן שָׁמְעָה וַֽתְּאַשְּׁרֵנִי וְעַיִן רָאֲתָה וַתְּעִידֵֽנִי׃
12 Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, the fatherless also, and him that had no helper;
כִּֽי־אֲמַלֵּט עָנִי מְשַׁוֵּעַ וְיָתוֹם וְֽלֹא־עֹזֵר לֽוֹ׃
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish, upon me was wont to descend, and, the heart of the widow, caused I to sing for joy;
בִּרְכַּת אֹבֵד עָלַי תָּבֹא וְלֵב אַלְמָנָה אַרְנִֽן׃
14 Righteousness, I put on, and it clothed me, Like a robe and turban, was my, justice;
צֶדֶק לָבַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁנִי כִּמְעִיל וְצָנִיף מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃
15 Eyes, became I to the, blind, and, feet to the lame, was, I!
עֵינַיִם הָיִיתִי לַעִוֵּר וְרַגְלַיִם לַפִּסֵּחַ אָֽנִי׃
16 A father, was, I, to the needy, and, as for the cause which I knew not, I used to search it out;
אָב אָנֹכִֽי לָאֶבְיוֹנִים וְרִב לֹא־יָדַעְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃
17 And I shivered the fangs of the perverse, —and, out of his teeth, I tare the prey.
וָאֲשַׁבְּרָה מְתַלְּעוֹת עַוָּל וּמִשִּׁנָּיו אַשְׁלִיךְ טָֽרֶף׃
18 Then said I, Like a stem, shall I grow old, yea, as the sand, shall I multiply days:
וָאֹמַר עִם־קִנִּי אֶגְוָע וְכַחוֹל אַרְבֶּה יָמִֽים׃
19 My root, is laid open to the waters, and, the dew, shall lodge for the night in my boughs;
שׇׁרְשִׁי פָתוּחַ אֱלֵי־מָיִם וְטַל יָלִין בִּקְצִירִֽי׃
20 Mine honour, shall be young again with me, and, my bow, in my hand, be renewed.
כְּבוֹדִי חָדָשׁ עִמָּדִי וְקַשְׁתִּי בְּיָדִי תַחֲלִֽיף׃
21 To me, men hearkened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel;
לִֽי־שָׁמְעוּ וְיִחֵלּוּ וְיִדְּמוּ לְמוֹ עֲצָתִֽי׃
22 After I had spoken, they spake not again, and, upon them, used my speech to drop;
אַחֲרֵי דְבָרִי לֹא יִשְׁנוּ וְעָלֵימוֹ תִּטֹּף מִלָּתִֽי׃
23 And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;
וְיִחֲלוּ כַמָּטָר לִי וּפִיהֶם פָּעֲרוּ לְמַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃
24 I laughed at them—they lost confidence, and, the light of my countenance, they suffered not to fail;
אֶשְׂחַק אֲלֵהֶם לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ וְאוֹר פָּנַי לֹא יַפִּילֽוּן׃
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, —and abode, as king, in an army, as one who, to mourners, giveth comfort.
אֶבְחַר דַּרְכָּם וְאֵשֵׁב רֹאשׁ וְאֶשְׁכּוֹן כְּמֶלֶךְ בַּגְּדוּד כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבֵלִים יְנַחֵֽם׃

< Job 29 >