איוב 29

1 ויסף איוב שאת משלו ויאמר

Job spoke again,

2 מי-יתנני כירחי-קדם כימי אלוה ישמרני

“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.

3 בהלו נרו עלי ראשי לאורו אלך חשך

During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.

4 כאשר הייתי בימי חרפי בסוד אלוה עלי אהלי

At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.

5 בעוד שדי עמדי סביבותי נערי

Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.

6 ברחץ הליכי בחמה וצור יצוק עמדי פלגי-שמן

[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.

7 בצאתי שער עלי-קרת ברחוב אכין מושבי

“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,

8 ראוני נערים ונחבאו וישישים קמו עמדו

and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].

9 שרים עצרו במלים וכף ישימו לפיהם

The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],

10 קול-נגידים נחבאו ולשונם לחכם דבקה

and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].

11 כי אזן שמעה ותאשרני ועין ראתה ותעידני

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,

12 כי-אמלט עני משוע ויתום ולא-עזר לו

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.

13 ברכת אבד עלי תבא ולב אלמנה ארנן

Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].

14 צדק לבשתי וילבשני כמעיל וצניף משפטי

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].

15 עינים הייתי לעור ורגלים לפסח אני

[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.

16 אב אנכי לאביונים ורב לא-ידעתי אחקרהו

I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.

17 ואשברה מתלעות עול ומשניו אשליך טרף

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.

18 ואמר עם-קני אגוע וכחול ארבה ימים

“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].’

19 שרשי פתוח אלי-מים וטל ילין בקצירי

I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.

20 כבודי חדש עמדי וקשתי בידי תחליף

People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.

21 לי-שמעו ויחלו וידמו למו עצתי

“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].

22 אחרי דברי לא ישנו ועלימו תטף מלתי

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].

23 ויחלו כמטר לי ופיהם פערו למלקוש

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].

24 אשחק אלהם לא יאמינו ואור פני לא יפילון

When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.

25 אבחר דרכם ואשב ראש ואשכון כמלך בגדוד כאשר אבלים ינחם

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.”