Jobs 29
1 Då heldt Job fram med talen sin og sagde:
Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 «Å, var eg som i fordums måna’r, som den gong Gud mi verja var,
“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 då yver meg hans lampa skein, som lyste meg i myrkret fram,
when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 slik som eg var i mogne manndom, då Gud var ven i huset mitt,
as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
5 då Allvald endå med meg var, og mine born eg kring meg såg,
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
6 då eg i fløyte foten tvådde, og olje rann av fjellet nær meg,
when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
7 då eg til porten steig i byen, og sessen min på torget tok!
when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
8 Ungdomen såg meg, løynde seg; dei gamle reiste seg og stod;
The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
9 hovdingar stogga midt i talen og lagde handi på sin munn;
The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 og røysti tagna hjå dei gjæve, og tunga seg til gomen kleimde;
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 dei som meg høyrde, sælka meg, og dei som såg meg, vitna for meg.
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
12 Eg berga arming når han ropa, og farlaus som var utan hjelp;
because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
13 velsigning fekk eg frå forkomne, og enkjor fekk eg til å jubla.
the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 Rettferd var min, eg hennar bunad; rett var mi kappa og mi kruna.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 Eg for den blinde auga var, og føter var eg for den halte.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
16 Ein far eg var for fatigfolk; eg for ukjende saki granska.
I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 På brotsmann tennerne eg knekte, reiv fengdi utor gapet hans.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Eg sagde: «I reiret skal eg døy, med dagar talrike som sand.
Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
19 Til roti mi skal vatnet trengja, dogg bu ved natt på greini mi;
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 mi æra held seg frisk hjå meg, bogen vert ny handi mi.»
My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 Dei høyrde ventande på meg, og lydde stilt på rådi mi.
“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 Og ikkje la dei mot mitt ord, min tale draup ned yver deim.
After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.
23 På meg dei bia som på regn, ja, som vårregn opna munnen.
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 Eg smilte til mismodige, mitt andlit fekk dei ikkje myrkt.
I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.
25 Når eg deim vitja, sat eg fremst, sat som ein konge i sin herflokk, lik ein som trøystar syrgjande.
I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
