איוב 29

1 ויסף איוב שאת משלו ויאמר

And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,

2 מי-יתנני כירחי-קדם כימי אלוה ישמרני

Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;

3 בהלו נרו עלי ראשי לאורו אלך חשך

When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in darkness;

4 כאשר הייתי בימי חרפי בסוד אלוה עלי אהלי

As I was in the days of my abundance, when the confidence of God was upon my tent:

5 בעוד שדי עמדי סביבותי נערי

When the Almighty was yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;

6 ברחץ הליכי בחמה וצור יצוק עמדי פלגי-שמן

When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets of oil!

7 בצאתי שער עלי-קרת ברחוב אכין מושבי

When I went out to the gate close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:

8 ראוני נערים ונחבאו וישישים קמו עמדו

Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;

9 שרים עצרו במלים וכף ישימו לפיהם

Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:

10 קול-נגידים נחבאו ולשונם לחכם דבקה

The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.

11 כי אזן שמעה ותאשרני ועין ראתה ותעידני

For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;

12 כי-אמלט עני משוע ויתום ולא-עזר לו

Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, yea, that had none to help him.

13 ברכת אבד עלי תבא ולב אלמנה ארנן

The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and the heart of the widow I caused to sing for joy.

14 צדק לבשתי וילבשני כמעיל וצניף משפטי

I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.

15 עינים הייתי לעור ורגלים לפסח אני

Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.

16 אב אנכי לאביונים ורב לא-ידעתי אחקרהו

A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.

17 ואשברה מתלעות עול ומשניו אשליך טרף

And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.

18 ואמר עם-קני אגוע וכחול ארבה ימים

And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.

19 שרשי פתוח אלי-מים וטל ילין בקצירי

My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.

20 כבודי חדש עמדי וקשתי בידי תחליף

My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”

21 לי-שמעו ויחלו וידמו למו עצתי

Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel

22 אחרי דברי לא ישנו ועלימו תטף מלתי

After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].

23 ויחלו כמטר לי ופיהם פערו למלקוש

And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened wide their mouth as for the latter rain.

24 אשחק אלהם לא יאמינו ואור פני לא יפילון

I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.

25 אבחר דרכם ואשב ראש ואשכון כמלך בגדוד כאשר אבלים ינחם

I chose their way for them, and I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in his army, as one that comforteth mourners.