איוב 29

1 ויסף איוב שאת משלו ויאמר׃

Job resumed speaking and said,

2 מי יתנני כירחי קדם כימי אלוה ישמרני׃

“Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,

3 בהלו נרו עלי ראשי לאורו אלך חשך׃

when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.

4 כאשר הייתי בימי חרפי בסוד אלוה עלי אהלי׃

Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on my tent,

5 בעוד שדי עמדי סביבותי נערי׃

when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,

6 ברחץ הליכי בחמה וצור יצוק עמדי פלגי שמן׃

when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 בצאתי שער עלי קרת ברחוב אכין מושבי׃

When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,

8 ראוני נערים ונחבאו וישישים קמו עמדו׃

the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.

9 שרים עצרו במלים וכף ישימו לפיהם׃

The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.

10 קול נגידים נחבאו ולשונם לחכם דבקה׃

The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.

11 כי אזן שמעה ותאשרני ועין ראתה ותעידני׃

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 כי אמלט עני משוע ויתום ולא עזר לו׃

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 ברכת אבד עלי תבא ולב אלמנה ארנן׃

The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

14 צדק לבשתי וילבשני כמעיל וצניף משפטי׃

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.

15 עינים הייתי לעור ורגלים לפסח אני׃

I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.

16 אב אנכי לאביונים ורב לא ידעתי אחקרהו׃

I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.

17 ואשברה מתלעות עול ומשניו אשליך טרף׃

I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.

18 ואמר עם קני אגוע וכחול ארבה ימים׃

Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.

19 שרשי פתוח אלי מים וטל ילין בקצירי׃

My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.

20 כבודי חדש עמדי וקשתי בידי תחליף׃

The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'

21 לי שמעו ויחלו וידמו למו עצתי׃

To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.

22 אחרי דברי לא ישנו ועלימו תטף מלתי׃

After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.

23 ויחלו כמטר לי ופיהם פערו למלקוש׃

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 אשחק אלהם לא יאמינו ואור פני לא יפילון׃

I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.

25 אבחר דרכם ואשב ראש ואשכון כמלך בגדוד כאשר אבלים ינחם׃

I selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.