Ἰώβ 29
1 Και εξηκολούθησεν ο Ιώβ την παραβολήν αυτού και είπεν·
Job resumed speaking and said,
2 Ω να ήμην ως εις τους παρελθόντας μήνας, ως εν ταις ημέραις ότε ο Θεός με εφύλαττεν·
“Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,
3 ότε ο λύχνος αυτού έφεγγεν επί της κεφαλής μου, και διά του φωτός αυτού περιεπάτουν εν τω σκότει·
when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
4 καθώς ήμην εν ταις ημέραις της ακμής μου, ότε η εύνοια του Θεού ήτο επί την σκηνήν μου·
Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on my tent,
5 ότε ο Παντοδύναμος ήτο μετ' εμού, και τα παιδία μου κύκλω μου·
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
6 ότε έπλυνον τα βήματά μου με βούτυρον, και ο βράχος εξέχεε δι' εμέ ποταμούς ελαίου·
when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 ότε διά της πόλεως εξηρχόμην εις την πύλην, ητοίμαζον την καθέδραν μου εν τη πλατεία
When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
8 Οι νέοι με έβλεπον και εκρύπτοντο· και οι γέροντες εγειρόμενοι ίσταντο.
the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
9 Οι άρχοντες έπαυον ομιλούντες και έβαλλον χείρα επί το στόμα αυτών.
The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
10 Η φωνή των εγκρίτων εκρατείτο, και η γλώσσα αυτών εκολλάτο εις τον ουρανίσκον αυτών.
The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
11 Ότε το ωτίον ήκουε και με εμακάριζε, και ο οφθαλμός έβλεπε και εμαρτύρει υπέρ εμού·
For after their ears heard me, they would then bless me; after their eyes saw me, they would then give witness to me and approve of me
12 διότι ηλευθέρουν τον πτωχόν βοώντα και τον ορφανόν τον μη έχοντα βοηθόν.
because I rescued the one who was poor when he cried out, and the one who had no father when he had no one to help him.
13 Η ευλογία του απολλυμένου ήρχετο επ' εμέ· και την καρδίαν της χήρας εύφραινον.
The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 Εφόρουν δικαιοσύνην και ενεδυόμην την ευθύτητά μου ως επενδύτην και διάδημα.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 Ήμην οφθαλμός εις τον τυφλόν και πους εις τον χωλόν εγώ.
I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
16 Ήμην πατήρ εις τους πτωχούς, και την δίκην την οποίαν δεν εγνώριζον εξιχνίαζον.
I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
17 Και συνέτριβον τους κυνόδοντας του αδίκου και απέσπων το θήραμα από των οδόντων αυτού.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.
18 Τότε έλεγον, θέλω αποθάνει εν τη φωλεά μου και ως την άμμον θέλω πολλαπλασιάσει τας ημέρας μου.
Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
19 Η ρίζα μου ήτο ανοικτή προς τα ύδατα, και η δρόσος διενυκτέρευεν επί των κλάδων μου.
My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
20 Η δόξα μου ανενεούτο εν εμοί, και το τόξον μου εκρατύνετο εν τη χειρί μου.
The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
21 Με ηκροάζοντο προσέχοντες και εις την συμβουλήν μου εσιώπων.
To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
22 Μετά τους λόγους μου δεν προσέθετον ουδέν, και η ομιλία μου εστάλαζεν επ' αυτούς.
After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.
23 Και με περιέμενον ως την βροχήν· και ήσαν κεχηνότες ως διά την όψιμον βροχήν.
They always waited for me as they waited for rain; they opened their mouth wide to drink in my words, as they would do for the latter rain.
24 Εγέλων προς αυτούς, και δεν επίστευον· και την φαιδρότητα του προσώπου μου δεν άφινον να πέση.
I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.
25 Εάν ηρεσκόμην εις την οδόν αυτών, εκαθήμην πρώτος, και κατεσκήνουν ως βασιλεύς εν τω στρατεύματι, ως ο παρηγορών τους τεθλιμμένους.
I selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.
