Tanach · Writings

Job 29/איוב כ״ט

אוַיֹּ֣סֶף אִ֭יּוֹב שְׂאֵ֥ת מְשָׁל֗וֹ וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

1Job again took up his theme and said:

במִֽי־יִתְּנֵ֥נִי כְיַרְחֵי־קֶ֑דֶם כִּ֝ימֵ֗י אֱל֣וֹהַּ יִשְׁמְרֵֽנִי׃

2O that I were as in months gone by,In the days when God watched over me,

גבְּהִלּ֣וֹ נֵ֭רוֹ עֲלֵ֣י רֹאשִׁ֑י לְ֝אוֹר֗וֹ אֵ֣לֶךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

3When God’s lamp shone over my head,When I walked in the dark by its light,

דכַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר הָ֭יִיתִי בִּימֵ֣י חׇרְפִּ֑י בְּס֥וֹד אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ עֲלֵ֣י אׇהֳלִֽי׃

4When I was in my prime,When God’s company graced my tent,

הבְּע֣וֹד שַׁ֭דַּי עִמָּדִ֑י סְבִ֖יבוֹתַ֣י נְעָרָֽי׃

5When Shaddai was still with me,When my attendants surrounded me,

ובִּרְחֹ֣ץ הֲלִיכַ֣י בְּחֵמָ֑ה וְצ֥וּר יָצ֥וּק עִ֝מָּדִ֗י פַּלְגֵי־שָֽׁמֶן׃

6When my feet were bathed in cream,And rocks poured out streams of oil for me.

זבְּצֵ֣אתִי שַׁ֣עַר עֲלֵי־קָ֑רֶת בָּ֝רְח֗וֹב אָכִ֥ין מוֹשָׁבִֽי׃

7When I passed through the city gatesTo take my seat in the square,

חרָא֣וּנִי נְעָרִ֣ים וְנֶחְבָּ֑אוּ וִ֝ישִׁישִׁ֗ים קָ֣מוּ עָמָֽדוּ׃

8Young men saw me and hid,Elders rose and stood;

טשָׂ֭רִים עָצְר֣וּ בְמִלִּ֑ים וְ֝כַ֗ף יָשִׂ֥ימוּ לְפִיהֶֽם׃

9Nobles held back their words;They clapped their hands to their mouths.

יקוֹל־נְגִידִ֥ים נֶחְבָּ֑אוּ וּ֝לְשׁוֹנָ֗ם לְחִכָּ֥ם דָּבֵֽקָה׃

10The voices of princes were hushed;Their tongues stuck to their palates.

יאכִּ֤י אֹ֣זֶן שָׁ֭מְעָה וַֽתְּאַשְּׁרֵ֑נִי וְעַ֥יִן רָ֝אֲתָ֗ה וַתְּעִידֵֽנִי׃

11The ear that heard me acclaimed me;The eye that saw, commended me.

יבכִּֽי־אֲ֭מַלֵּט עָנִ֣י מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ וְ֝יָת֗וֹם וְֽלֹא־עֹזֵ֥ר לֽוֹ׃

12For I saved the pauper who cried out,The orphan who had no helper.

יגבִּרְכַּ֣ת אֹ֭בֵד עָלַ֣י תָּבֹ֑א וְלֵ֖ב אַלְמָנָ֣ה אַרְנִֽן׃

13I received the blessing of the lost;I gladdened the heart of the widow.

ידצֶ֣דֶק לָ֭בַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁ֑נִי כִּֽמְעִ֥יל וְ֝צָנִ֗יף מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

14I clothed myself in righteousness and it robed me;Justice was my cloak and turban.

טועֵינַ֣יִם הָ֭יִיתִי לַעִוֵּ֑ר וְרַגְלַ֖יִם לַפִּסֵּ֣חַ אָֽנִי׃

15I was eyes to the blindAnd feet to the lame.

טזאָ֣ב אָ֭נֹכִֽי לָאֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים וְרִ֖ב לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃

16I was a father to the needy,And I looked into the case of the stranger.

יזוָ֭אֲשַׁבְּרָה מְתַלְּע֣וֹת עַוָּ֑ל וּ֝מִשִּׁנָּ֗יו אַשְׁלִ֥יךְ טָֽרֶף׃

17I broke the jaws of the wrongdoer,And I wrested prey from his teeth.

יחוָ֭אֹמַר עִם־קִנִּ֣י אֶגְוָ֑ע וְ֝כַח֗וֹל אַרְבֶּ֥ה יָמִֽים׃

18I thought I would end my days with my family,^a And be as long-lived as the phoenix,^b

יטשׇׁרְשִׁ֣י פָת֣וּחַ אֱלֵי־מָ֑יִם וְ֝טַ֗ל יָלִ֥ין בִּקְצִירִֽי׃

19My roots reaching water,And dew lying on my branches;

ככְּ֭בוֹדִי חָדָ֣שׁ עִמָּדִ֑י וְ֝קַשְׁתִּ֗י בְּיָדִ֥י תַחֲלִֽיף׃

20My vigor refreshed,My bow ever new in my hand.

כאלִֽי־שָׁמְע֥וּ וְיִחֵ֑לּוּ וְ֝יִדְּמ֗וּ לְמ֣וֹ עֲצָתִֽי׃

21Men would listen to me expectantly,And wait for my counsel.

כבאַחֲרֵ֣י דְ֭בָרִי לֹ֣א יִשְׁנ֑וּ וְ֝עָלֵ֗ימוֹ תִּטֹּ֥ף מִלָּתִֽי׃

22After I spoke they had nothing to say;My words were as drops [of dew] upon them.

כגוְיִחֲל֣וּ כַמָּטָ֣ר לִ֑י וּ֝פִיהֶ֗ם פָּעֲר֥וּ לְמַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃

23They waited for me as for rain,For the late rain, their mouths open wide.

כדאֶשְׂחַ֣ק אֲ֭לֵהֶם לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ינוּ וְא֥וֹר פָּ֝נַ֗י לֹ֣א יַפִּילֽוּן׃

24When I smiled at them, they would not believe it;They never expected^c as from pll; cf. Gen. 48.11. a sign of my favor.

כהאֶ֥בְחַ֣ר דַּרְכָּם֮ וְאֵשֵׁ֢ב רֹ֥֫אשׁ וְ֭אֶשְׁכּוֹן כְּמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּגְּד֑וּד כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲבֵלִ֣ים יְנַחֵֽם׃

25I decided their course and presided over them;I lived like a king among his troops,Like one who consoles mourners.