Job 29
1 Job again took up his parable, and said,
Då heldt Job fram med talen sin og sagde:
2 “Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
«Å, var eg som i fordums måna’r, som den gong Gud mi verja var,
3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
då yver meg hans lampa skein, som lyste meg i myrkret fram,
4 as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
slik som eg var i mogne manndom, då Gud var ven i huset mitt,
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
då Allvald endå med meg var, og mine born eg kring meg såg,
6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
då eg i fløyte foten tvådde, og olje rann av fjellet nær meg,
7 when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
då eg til porten steig i byen, og sessen min på torget tok!
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
Ungdomen såg meg, løynde seg; dei gamle reiste seg og stod;
9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
hovdingar stogga midt i talen og lagde handi på sin munn;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
og røysti tagna hjå dei gjæve, og tunga seg til gomen kleimde;
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
dei som meg høyrde, sælka meg, og dei som såg meg, vitna for meg.
12 because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
Eg berga arming når han ropa, og farlaus som var utan hjelp;
13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
velsigning fekk eg frå forkomne, og enkjor fekk eg til å jubla.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
Rettferd var min, eg hennar bunad; rett var mi kappa og mi kruna.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
Eg for den blinde auga var, og føter var eg for den halte.
16 I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
Ein far eg var for fatigfolk; eg for ukjende saki granska.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
På brotsmann tennerne eg knekte, reiv fengdi utor gapet hans.
18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
Eg sagde: «I reiret skal eg døy, med dagar talrike som sand.
19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
Til roti mi skal vatnet trengja, dogg bu ved natt på greini mi;
20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
mi æra held seg frisk hjå meg, bogen vert ny handi mi.»
21 “Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
Dei høyrde ventande på meg, og lydde stilt på rådi mi.
22 After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.
Og ikkje la dei mot mitt ord, min tale draup ned yver deim.
23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
På meg dei bia som på regn, ja, som vårregn opna munnen.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.
Eg smilte til mismodige, mitt andlit fekk dei ikkje myrkt.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
Når eg deim vitja, sat eg fremst, sat som ein konge i sin herflokk, lik ein som trøystar syrgjande.
