Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
Då heldt Job fram med talen sin og sagde:
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
«Å, var eg som i fordums måna’r, som den gong Gud mi verja var,
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.
då yver meg hans lampa skein, som lyste meg i myrkret fram,
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
slik som eg var i mogne manndom, då Gud var ven i huset mitt,
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
då Allvald endå med meg var, og mine born eg kring meg såg,
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
då eg i fløyte foten tvådde, og olje rann av fjellet nær meg,
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
då eg til porten steig i byen, og sessen min på torget tok!
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
Ungdomen såg meg, løynde seg; dei gamle reiste seg og stod;
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
hovdingar stogga midt i talen og lagde handi på sin munn;
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
og røysti tagna hjå dei gjæve, og tunga seg til gomen kleimde;
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,
dei som meg høyrde, sælka meg, og dei som såg meg, vitna for meg.
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.
Eg berga arming når han ropa, og farlaus som var utan hjelp;
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].
velsigning fekk eg frå forkomne, og enkjor fekk eg til å jubla.
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].
Rettferd var min, eg hennar bunad; rett var mi kappa og mi kruna.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
Eg for den blinde auga var, og føter var eg for den halte.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
Ein far eg var for fatigfolk; eg for ukjende saki granska.
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.
På brotsmann tennerne eg knekte, reiv fengdi utor gapet hans.
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].’
Eg sagde: «I reiret skal eg døy, med dagar talrike som sand.
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
Til roti mi skal vatnet trengja, dogg bu ved natt på greini mi;
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
mi æra held seg frisk hjå meg, bogen vert ny handi mi.»
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
Dei høyrde ventande på meg, og lydde stilt på rådi mi.
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].
Og ikkje la dei mot mitt ord, min tale draup ned yver deim.
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].
På meg dei bia som på regn, ja, som vårregn opna munnen.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Eg smilte til mismodige, mitt andlit fekk dei ikkje myrkt.
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.”
Når eg deim vitja, sat eg fremst, sat som ein konge i sin herflokk, lik ein som trøystar syrgjande.
