Job 29

1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Då heldt Job fram med talen sin og sagde:

2 O that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

«Å, var eg som i fordums måna’r, som den gong Gud mi verja var,

3 When his lamp shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

då yver meg hans lampa skein, som lyste meg i myrkret fram,

4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tent;

slik som eg var i mogne manndom, då Gud var ven i huset mitt,

5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

då Allvald endå med meg var, og mine born eg kring meg såg,

6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

då eg i fløyte foten tvådde, og olje rann av fjellet nær meg,

7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

då eg til porten steig i byen, og sessen min på torget tok!

8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.

Ungdomen såg meg, løynde seg; dei gamle reiste seg og stod;

9 The princes stopped talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

hovdingar stogga midt i talen og lagde handi på sin munn;

10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

og røysti tagna hjå dei gjæve, og tunga seg til gomen kleimde;

11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

dei som meg høyrde, sælka meg, og dei som såg meg, vitna for meg.

12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

Eg berga arming når han ropa, og farlaus som var utan hjelp;

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

velsigning fekk eg frå forkomne, og enkjor fekk eg til å jubla.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

Rettferd var min, eg hennar bunad; rett var mi kappa og mi kruna.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

Eg for den blinde auga var, og føter var eg for den halte.

16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

Ein far eg var for fatigfolk; eg for ukjende saki granska.

17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

På brotsmann tennerne eg knekte, reiv fengdi utor gapet hans.

18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

Eg sagde: «I reiret skal eg døy, med dagar talrike som sand.

19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

Til roti mi skal vatnet trengja, dogg bu ved natt på greini mi;

20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

mi æra held seg frisk hjå meg, bogen vert ny handi mi.»

21 To me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

Dei høyrde ventande på meg, og lydde stilt på rådi mi.

22 After my words they spoke not again; and my speech fell upon them.

Og ikkje la dei mot mitt ord, min tale draup ned yver deim.

23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

På meg dei bia som på regn, ja, som vårregn opna munnen.

24 If I mocked at them, they had no confidence; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

Eg smilte til mismodige, mitt andlit fekk dei ikkje myrkt.

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

Når eg deim vitja, sat eg fremst, sat som ein konge i sin herflokk, lik ein som trøystar syrgjande.