Jó 29
Og Job vedblev at fremsætte sit Tankesprog:
Ak, havde jeg det som tilforn, som dengang Gud tog sig af mig,
da hans Lampe lyste over mit Hoved, og jeg ved hans Lys vandt frem i Mørke,
som i mine modne År, da Guds Fortrolighed var over mit Telt,
da den Almægtige end var hos mig og mine Drenge var om mig,
da mine Fødder vaded i Fløde, og Olie strømmede, hvor jeg stod,
da jeg gik ud til Byens Port og rejste mit Sæde på Torvet.
Når Ungdommen så mig, gemte deo sig, Oldinge rejste sig op og stod,
Høvdinger standsed i Talen og lagde Hånd på Mund,
Stormænds Røst forstummed, deres Tunge klæbed til Ganen;
Øret hørte og priste mig lykkelig, Øjet så og tilkendte mig Ære.
Thi jeg redded den arme, der skreg om Hjælp, den faderløse, der savned en Hjælper;
den, det gik skævt, velsignede mig, jeg frydede Enkens Hjerte;
jeg klædte mig i Retfærd, og den i mig, i Ret som Kappe og Hovedbind.
Jeg var den blindes Øje, jeg var den lammes Fod;
jeg var de fattiges Fader, udreded den mig ukendtes Sag;
den lovløses Tænder brød jeg, rev Byttet ud af hans Gab.
min Rod kan Vand komme til, Duggen har Nattely i mine Grene;
Mig hørte de på og bied, var tavse, mens jeg gav Råd;
ingen tog Ordet, når jeg havde talt, mine Ord faldt kvægende på dem;
de bied på mig som på Regn, spærred Munden op efter Vårregn.
Mistrøstige smilte jeg til, mit Åsyns Lys fik de ej til at svinde.
Vejen valgte jeg for dem og sad som Høvding, troned som Konge blandt Hærmænd, som den, der gav sørgende Trøst.
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, {continued: Heb. added to take up}
Oh that I were as {in} months past, as {in} the days {when} God preserved me;
When his candle shined upon my head, {and when} by his light I walked {through} darkness; {candle: or, lamp}
As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God {was} upon my tabernacle;
When the Almighty {was} yet with me, {when} my children {were} about me;
When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; {me: Heb. with me}
When I went out to the gate through the city, {when} I prepared my seat in the street!
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, {and} stood up.
The princes refrained talking, and laid {their} hand on their mouth.
The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. {The nobles...: Heb. The voice of the nobles was hid}
When the ear heard {me}, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw {me}, it gave witness to me:
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and {him that had} none to help him.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment {was} as a robe and a diadem.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet {was} I to the lame.
I {was} a father to the poor: and the cause {which} I knew not I searched out.
And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. {the jaws: Heb. the jawteeth, or, the grinders} {plucked: Heb. cast}
Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply {my} days as the sand.
My root {was} spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. {spread...: Heb. opened}
My glory {was} fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. {fresh: Heb. new} {renewed: Heb. changed}
Unto me {men} gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide {as} for the latter rain.
{If} I laughed on them, they believed {it} not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one {that} comforteth the mourners.