איוב 29

1 וַיֹּסֶף אִיּוֹב שְׂאֵת מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,

2 מִֽי־יִתְּנֵנִי כְיַרְחֵי־קֶדֶם כִּימֵי אֱלוֹהַּ יִשְׁמְרֵֽנִי׃

Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!

3 בְּהִלּוֹ נֵרוֹ עֲלֵי רֹאשִׁי לְאוֹרוֹ אֵלֶךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,

4 כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיִיתִי בִּימֵי חׇרְפִּי בְּסוֹד אֱלוֹהַּ עֲלֵי אׇהֳלִֽי׃

As I was in the dayes of my youth: when Gods prouidence was vpon my tabernacle:

5 בְּעוֹד שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי סְבִיבוֹתַי נְעָרָֽי׃

When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.

6 בִּרְחֹץ הֲלִיכַי בְּחֵמָה וְצוּר יָצוּק עִמָּדִי פַּלְגֵי־שָֽׁמֶן׃

When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:

7 בְּצֵאתִי שַׁעַר עֲלֵי־קָרֶת בָּרְחוֹב אָכִין מוֹשָׁבִֽי׃

When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete.

8 רָאוּנִי נְעָרִים וְנֶחְבָּאוּ וִישִׁישִׁים קָמוּ עָמָֽדוּ׃

The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.

9 שָׂרִים עָצְרוּ בְמִלִּים וְכַף יָשִׂימוּ לְפִיהֶֽם׃

The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.

10 קוֹל־נְגִידִים נֶחְבָּאוּ וּלְשׁוֹנָם לְחִכָּם דָּבֵֽקָה׃

The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.

11 כִּי אֹזֶן שָׁמְעָה וַֽתְּאַשְּׁרֵנִי וְעַיִן רָאֲתָה וַתְּעִידֵֽנִי׃

And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.

12 כִּֽי־אֲמַלֵּט עָנִי מְשַׁוֵּעַ וְיָתוֹם וְֽלֹא־עֹזֵר לֽוֹ׃

For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.

13 בִּרְכַּת אֹבֵד עָלַי תָּבֹא וְלֵב אַלְמָנָה אַרְנִֽן׃

The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.

14 צֶדֶק לָבַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁנִי כִּמְעִיל וְצָנִיף מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.

15 עֵינַיִם הָיִיתִי לַעִוֵּר וְרַגְלַיִם לַפִּסֵּחַ אָֽנִי׃

I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.

16 אָב אָנֹכִֽי לָאֶבְיוֹנִים וְרִב לֹא־יָדַעְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃

I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.

17 וָאֲשַׁבְּרָה מְתַלְּעוֹת עַוָּל וּמִשִּׁנָּיו אַשְׁלִיךְ טָֽרֶף׃

I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.

18 וָאֹמַר עִם־קִנִּי אֶגְוָע וְכַחוֹל אַרְבֶּה יָמִֽים׃

Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.

19 שׇׁרְשִׁי פָתוּחַ אֱלֵי־מָיִם וְטַל יָלִין בִּקְצִירִֽי׃

For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.

20 כְּבוֹדִי חָדָשׁ עִמָּדִי וְקַשְׁתִּי בְּיָדִי תַחֲלִֽיף׃

My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.

21 לִֽי־שָׁמְעוּ וְיִחֵלּוּ וְיִדְּמוּ לְמוֹ עֲצָתִֽי׃

Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.

22 אַחֲרֵי דְבָרִי לֹא יִשְׁנוּ וְעָלֵימוֹ תִּטֹּף מִלָּתִֽי׃

After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.

23 וְיִחֲלוּ כַמָּטָר לִי וּפִיהֶם פָּעֲרוּ לְמַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃

And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.

24 אֶשְׂחַק אֲלֵהֶם לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ וְאוֹר פָּנַי לֹא יַפִּילֽוּן׃

If I laughed on them, they beleeued it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.

25 אֶבְחַר דַּרְכָּם וְאֵשֵׁב רֹאשׁ וְאֶשְׁכּוֹן כְּמֶלֶךְ בַּגְּדוּד כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבֵלִים יְנַחֵֽם׃

I appoynted out their way, and did sit as chiefe, and dwelt as a King in the army, and like him that comforteth the mourners.