|
|
| [1]And Job again took up his parable, and said: |
[1]And Job continued and said in his parable, |
| [2]Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me; |
[2]Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me! |
| [3]When His lamp shined above my head, and by His light I walked through darkness; |
[3]As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness. |
| [4]As I was in the days of my youth, when the converse of God was upon my tent; |
[4]As when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house. |
| [5]When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were about me; |
[5]When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me; |
| [6]When my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil! |
[6]when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk. |
| [7]When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place, |
[7]When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets. |
| [8]The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood; |
[8]The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up. |
| [9]The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth; |
[9]And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth. |
| [10]The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. |
[10]And they that heard me blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat. |
| [11]For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me; |
[11]For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside. |
| [12]Because I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless also, that had none to help him. |
[12]For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper. |
| [13]The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. |
[13]Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yea, the mouth of the widow has blessed me. |
| [14]I pu righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; my justice was as a robe and a diadem. |
[14]Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle. |
| [15]I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. |
[15]I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame. |
| [16]I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out. |
[16]I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not. |
| [17]And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth. |
[17]And I broke the jaw-teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth. |
| [18]Then I said: 'I shall die with my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the phoenix; |
[18]And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm-tree; I shall live a long while. |
| [19]My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew shall lie all night upon my branch; |
[19]My root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop. |
| [20]My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in my hand.' |
[20]My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand. |
| [21]Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel. |
[21]Men heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel. |
| [22]After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them. |
[22]At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them. |
| [23]And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. |
[23]As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they waited for my speech. |
| [24]If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. |
[24]Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe it; and the light of my face has not failed. |
| [25]I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. |
[25]I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners. |