איוב 29
| ויסף איוב שאת משלו ויאמר׃ | 1 |
Job went on speaking.
| מי יתנני כירחי קדם כימי אלוה ישמרני׃ | 2 |
“I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!
| בהלו נרו עלי ראשי לאורו אלך חשך׃ | 3 |
His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.
| כאשר הייתי בימי חרפי בסוד אלוה עלי אהלי׃ | 4 |
When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.
| בעוד שדי עמדי סביבותי נערי׃ | 5 |
The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
| ברחץ הליכי בחמה וצור יצוק עמדי פלגי שמן׃ | 6 |
My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
| בצאתי שער עלי קרת ברחוב אכין מושבי׃ | 7 |
I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
| ראוני נערים ונחבאו וישישים קמו עמדו׃ | 8 |
The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
| שרים עצרו במלים וכף ישימו לפיהם׃ | 9 |
The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
| קול נגידים נחבאו ולשונם לחכם דבקה׃ | 10 |
The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
| כי אזן שמעה ותאשרני ועין ראתה ותעידני׃ | 11 |
Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
| כי אמלט עני משוע ויתום ולא עזר לו׃ | 12 |
because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.
| ברכת אבד עלי תבא ולב אלמנה ארנן׃ | 13 |
Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.
| צדק לבשתי וילבשני כמעיל וצניף משפטי׃ | 14 |
Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
| עינים הייתי לעור ורגלים לפסח אני׃ | 15 |
I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
| אב אנכי לאביונים ורב לא ידעתי אחקרהו׃ | 16 |
I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
| ואשברה מתלעות עול ומשניו אשליך טרף׃ | 17 |
I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
| ואמר עם קני אגוע וכחול ארבה ימים׃ | 18 |
I thought I would die at home, after many years.
| שרשי פתוח אלי מים וטל ילין בקצירי׃ | 19 |
Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
| כבודי חדש עמדי וקשתי בידי תחליף׃ | 20 |
Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
| לי שמעו ויחלו וידמו למו עצתי׃ | 21 |
People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
| אחרי דברי לא ישנו ועלימו תטף מלתי׃ | 22 |
Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.
| ויחלו כמטר לי ופיהם פערו למלקוש׃ | 23 |
They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
| אשחק אלהם לא יאמינו ואור פני לא יפילון׃ | 24 |
When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
| אבחר דרכם ואשב ראש ואשכון כמלך בגדוד כאשר אבלים ינחם׃ | 25 |
I decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.
