أَيُّوبَ 29

١ 1 وَعَادَ أَيُّوبُ يَنْطِقُ بِمَثَلِهِ فَقَالَ:

And Job again took up his measure, and said,

٢ 2 «يَا لَيْتَنِي كَمَا فِي ٱلشُّهُورِ ٱلسَّالِفَةِ وَكَٱلْأَيَّامِ ٱلَّتِي حَفِظَنِي ٱللهُ فِيهَا،

Oh that it were with me as in the months of old, as in the days, when, GOD, used to watch over me;

٣ 3 حِينَ أَضَاءَ سِرَاجَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِي، وَبِنُورِهِ سَلَكْتُ ٱلظُّلْمَةَ.

When his lamp shone over my head, by whose light, I could go through darkness;

٤ 4 كَمَا كُنْتُ فِي أَيَّامِ خَرِيفِي، وَرِضَا ٱللهِ عَلَى خَيْمَتِي،

As I was, in the days of my prime, when, the intimacy of GOD, was over my tent;

٥ 5 وَٱلْقَدِيرُ بَعْدُ مَعِي وَحَوْلِي غِلْمَانِي،

While yet the Almighty was with me, round about me, were my young men;

٦ 6 إِذْ غَسَلْتُ خَطَوَاتِي بِٱللَّبَنِ، وَٱلصَّخْرُ سَكَبَ لِي جَدَاوِلَ زَيْتٍ.

When my steps were bathed in milk, and, the rock, poured out beside me, rivulets of oil:

٧ 7 حِينَ كُنْتُ أَخْرُجُ إِلَى ٱلْبَابِ فِي ٱلْقَرْيَةِ، وَأُهَيِّئُ فِي ٱلسَّاحَةِ مَجْلِسِي.

When I went out to the gate unto the city, in the open place, made ready my seat,

٨ 8 رَآنِي ٱلْغِلْمَانُ فَٱخْتَبَأُوا، وَٱلْأَشْيَاخُ قَامُوا وَوَقَفُوا.

Young men saw me, and hid themselves, and, the aged, arose—they stood;

٩ 9 ٱلْعُظَمَاءُ أَمْسَكُوا عَنِ ٱلْكَلَامِ، وَوَضَعُوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ.

Rulers, restrained speech, and, a hand, laid they on their mouth;

١٠ 10 صَوْتُ ٱلشُّرَفَاءِ ٱخْتَفَى، وَلَصِقَتْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ بِأَحْنَاكِهِمْ.

The voice of nobles, was hushed, and their tongue to their palate, did cleave;

١١ 11 لِأَنَّ ٱلْأُذُنَ سَمِعَتْ فَطَوَّبَتْنِي، وَٱلْعَيْنَ رَأَتْ فَشَهِدَتْ لِي،

When, the ear, heard, then it pronounced me happy, When, the eye, saw, then it bare me witness;

١٢ 12 لِأَنِّي أَنْقَذْتُ ٱلْمِسْكِينَ ٱلْمُسْتَغِيثَ وَٱلْيَتِيمَ وَلَا مُعِينَ لَهُ.

Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, the fatherless also, and him that had no helper;

١٣ 13 بَرَكَةُ ٱلْهَالِكِ حَلَّتْ عَلَيَّ، وَجَعَلْتُ قَلْبَ ٱلْأَرْمَلَةِ يُسَرُّ.

The blessing of him that was ready to perish, upon me was wont to descend, and, the heart of the widow, caused I to sing for joy;

١٤ 14 لَبِسْتُ ٱلْبِرَّ فَكَسَانِي. كَجُبَّةٍ وَعِمَامَةٍ كَانَ عَدْلِي.

Righteousness, I put on, and it clothed me, Like a robe and turban, was my, justice;

١٥ 15 كُنْتُ عُيُونًا لِلْعُمْيِ، وَأَرْجُلًا لِلْعُرْجِ.

Eyes, became I to the, blind, and, feet to the lame, was, I!

١٦ 16 أَبٌ أَنَا لِلْفُقَرَاءِ، وَدَعْوَى لَمْ أَعْرِفْهَا فَحَصْتُ عَنْهَا.

A father, was, I, to the needy, and, as for the cause which I knew not, I used to search it out;

١٧ 17 هَشَّمْتُ أَضْرَاسَ ٱلظَّالِمِ، وَمِنْ بَيْنِ أَسْنَانِهِ خَطَفْتُ ٱلْفَرِيسَةَ.

And I shivered the fangs of the perverse, —and, out of his teeth, I tare the prey.

١٨ 18 فَقُلْتُ: إِنِّي فِي وَكْرِي أُسَلِّمُ ٱلرُّوحَ، وَمِثْلَ ٱلسَّمَنْدَلِ أُكَثِّرُ أَيَّامًا.

Then said I, Like a stem, shall I grow old, yea, as the sand, shall I multiply days:

١٩ 19 أَصْلِي كَانَ مُنْبَسِطًا إِلَى ٱلْمِيَاهِ، وَٱلطَّلُّ بَاتَ عَلَى أَغْصَانِي.

My root, is laid open to the waters, and, the dew, shall lodge for the night in my boughs;

٢٠ 20 كَرَامَتِي بَقِيَتْ حَدِيثَةً عِنْدِي، وَقَوْسِي تَجَدَّدَتْ فِي يَدِي.

Mine honour, shall be young again with me, and, my bow, in my hand, be renewed.

٢١ 21 لِي سَمِعُوا وَٱنْتَظَرُوا، وَنَصَتُوا عِنْدَ مَشُورَتِي.

To me, men hearkened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel;

٢٢ 22 بَعْدَ كَلَامِي لَمْ يُثَنُّوا، وَقَوْلِي قَطَرَ عَلَيْهِمْ.

After I had spoken, they spake not again, and, upon them, used my speech to drop;

٢٣ 23 وَٱنْتَظَرُونِي مِثْلَ ٱلْمَطَرِ، وَفَغَرُوا أَفْوَاهَهُمْ كَمَا لِلْمَطَرِ ٱلْمُتَأَخِّرِ.

And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;

٢٤ 24 إِنْ ضَحِكْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ لَمْ يُصَدِّقُوا، وَنُورَ وَجْهِي لَمْ يُعَبِّسُوا.

I laughed at them—they lost confidence, and, the light of my countenance, they suffered not to fail;

٢٥ 25 كُنْتُ أَخْتَارُ طَرِيقَهُمْ وَأَجْلِسُ رَأْسًا، وَأَسْكُنُ كَمَلِكٍ فِي جَيْشٍ، كَمَنْ يُعَزِّي ٱلنَّائِحِينَ.

I chose out their way, and sat chief, —and abode, as king, in an army, as one who, to mourners, giveth comfort.