Jobs 29
1 Då heldt Job fram med talen sin og sagde:
And Job again took up the word and said,
2 «Å, var eg som i fordums måna’r, som den gong Gud mi verja var,
If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!
3 då yver meg hans lampa skein, som lyste meg i myrkret fram,
When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
4 slik som eg var i mogne manndom, då Gud var ven i huset mitt,
As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
5 då Allvald endå med meg var, og mine born eg kring meg såg,
While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
6 då eg i fløyte foten tvådde, og olje rann av fjellet nær meg,
When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
7 då eg til porten steig i byen, og sessen min på torget tok!
When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
8 Ungdomen såg meg, løynde seg; dei gamle reiste seg og stod;
The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
9 hovdingar stogga midt i talen og lagde handi på sin munn;
The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
10 og røysti tagna hjå dei gjæve, og tunga seg til gomen kleimde;
The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.
11 dei som meg høyrde, sælka meg, og dei som såg meg, vitna for meg.
For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;
12 Eg berga arming når han ropa, og farlaus som var utan hjelp;
For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.
13 velsigning fekk eg frå forkomne, og enkjor fekk eg til å jubla.
The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.
14 Rettferd var min, eg hennar bunad; rett var mi kappa og mi kruna.
I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.
15 Eg for den blinde auga var, og føter var eg for den halte.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.
16 Ein far eg var for fatigfolk; eg for ukjende saki granska.
I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
17 På brotsmann tennerne eg knekte, reiv fengdi utor gapet hans.
By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
18 Eg sagde: «I reiret skal eg døy, med dagar talrike som sand.
Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
19 Til roti mi skal vatnet trengja, dogg bu ved natt på greini mi;
My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
20 mi æra held seg frisk hjå meg, bogen vert ny handi mi.»
My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
21 Dei høyrde ventande på meg, og lydde stilt på rådi mi.
Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
22 Og ikkje la dei mot mitt ord, min tale draup ned yver deim.
After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
23 På meg dei bia som på regn, ja, som vårregn opna munnen.
They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
24 Eg smilte til mismodige, mitt andlit fekk dei ikkje myrkt.
I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
25 Når eg deim vitja, sat eg fremst, sat som ein konge i sin herflokk, lik ein som trøystar syrgjande.
I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
