Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
Και εξηκολούθησεν ο Ιώβ την παραβολήν αυτού και είπεν·
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
Ω να ήμην ως εις τους παρελθόντας μήνας, ως εν ταις ημέραις ότε ο Θεός με εφύλαττεν·
3 During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
ότε ο λύχνος αυτού έφεγγεν επί της κεφαλής μου, και διά του φωτός αυτού περιεπάτουν εν τω σκότει·
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
καθώς ήμην εν ταις ημέραις της ακμής μου, ότε η εύνοια του Θεού ήτο επί την σκηνήν μου·
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
ότε ο Παντοδύναμος ήτο μετ' εμού, και τα παιδία μου κύκλω μου·
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
ότε έπλυνον τα βήματά μου με βούτυρον, και ο βράχος εξέχεε δι' εμέ ποταμούς ελαίου·
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
ότε διά της πόλεως εξηρχόμην εις την πύλην, ητοίμαζον την καθέδραν μου εν τη πλατεία
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
Οι νέοι με έβλεπον και εκρύπτοντο· και οι γέροντες εγειρόμενοι ίσταντο.
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
Οι άρχοντες έπαυον ομιλούντες και έβαλλον χείρα επί το στόμα αυτών.
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
Η φωνή των εγκρίτων εκρατείτο, και η γλώσσα αυτών εκολλάτο εις τον ουρανίσκον αυτών.
11 When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,
Ότε το ωτίον ήκουε και με εμακάριζε, και ο οφθαλμός έβλεπε και εμαρτύρει υπέρ εμού·
12 because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
διότι ηλευθέρουν τον πτωχόν βοώντα και τον ορφανόν τον μη έχοντα βοηθόν.
13 Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
Η ευλογία του απολλυμένου ήρχετο επ' εμέ· και την καρδίαν της χήρας εύφραινον.
14 I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
Εφόρουν δικαιοσύνην και ενεδυόμην την ευθύτητά μου ως επενδύτην και διάδημα.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
Ήμην οφθαλμός εις τον τυφλόν και πους εις τον χωλόν εγώ.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
Ήμην πατήρ εις τους πτωχούς, και την δίκην την οποίαν δεν εγνώριζον εξιχνίαζον.
17 My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
Και συνέτριβον τους κυνόδοντας του αδίκου και απέσπων το θήραμα από των οδόντων αυτού.
18 “At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
Τότε έλεγον, θέλω αποθάνει εν τη φωλεά μου και ως την άμμον θέλω πολλαπλασιάσει τας ημέρας μου.
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
Η ρίζα μου ήτο ανοικτή προς τα ύδατα, και η δρόσος διενυκτέρευεν επί των κλάδων μου.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
Η δόξα μου ανενεούτο εν εμοί, και το τόξον μου εκρατύνετο εν τη χειρί μου.
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
Με ηκροάζοντο προσέχοντες και εις την συμβουλήν μου εσιώπων.
22 After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
Μετά τους λόγους μου δεν προσέθετον ουδέν, και η ομιλία μου εστάλαζεν επ' αυτούς.
23 They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
Και με περιέμενον ως την βροχήν· και ήσαν κεχηνότες ως διά την όψιμον βροχήν.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Εγέλων προς αυτούς, και δεν επίστευον· και την φαιδρότητα του προσώπου μου δεν άφινον να πέση.
25 I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
Εάν ηρεσκόμην εις την οδόν αυτών, εκαθήμην πρώτος, και κατεσκήνουν ως βασιλεύς εν τω στρατεύματι, ως ο παρηγορών τους τεθλιμμένους.
