1And Job again took up his discourse, and said: (Nu 23:7; Job 27:1)2“Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,3when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, (2Sa 21:17; Job 18:6; Ps 18:28)4as I was in my prime,[1] when the friendship of God was upon my tent, (Job 15:8; Ps 25:14; Pr 3:32)5when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me, (Job 1:2; Ps 128:3)6when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! (Ge 49:11; De 32:13; De 33:24; Job 20:17; Ps 81:16)7When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square, (Job 5:4)8the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood;9the princes refrained from talking and laid their hand on their mouth; (Job 21:5)10the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. (Ps 22:15; Ps 137:6; La 4:4; Eze 3:26)11When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved,12because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. (Ps 72:12)13The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. (Ru 2:20; Job 31:20; Pr 31:6; Isa 27:13)14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. (Job 19:9; Ps 132:9; Isa 11:5; Isa 59:17; Isa 61:10; Isa 62:3; Zec 3:5; Eph 6:14; 1Th 5:8)15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. (Nu 10:31)16I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. (Pr 29:7)17I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth. (Ps 3:7; Ps 58:6; Pr 30:14)18Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand, (Ge 22:17; Nu 24:21; Job 39:27; Ps 30:6)19my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches, (Job 14:9; Job 18:16; Ps 1:3)20my glory fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.’ (Ge 49:24; Isa 40:31; Isa 41:1)21“Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel.22After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them. (De 32:2; De 33:28)23They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain. (De 11:14; Ps 119:131; Pr 16:15; Isa 5:14; Jer 3:3; Zec 10:1)24I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and the light of my face they did not cast down. (Ge 4:5; Pr 16:15)25I chose their way and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners. (Job 15:24)
1Job continued his discourse:2‘How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,3when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness!4Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,6when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.7‘When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square,8the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet;9the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;10the voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.11Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me,12because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.13The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing.14I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.16I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.17I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.18‘I thought, “I shall die in my own house, my days as numerous as the grains of sand.19My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches.20My glory will not fade; the bow will be ever new in my hand.”21‘People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.22After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears.23They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain.24When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.[1]25I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners.
1Job continued to speak. He said,2‘How I long for the times when things were better! That’s when God watched over me.3The light of his lamp shone on me. I walked through darkness by his light.4Those were the best days of my life. That’s when God’s friendship blessed my house.5The Mighty One was still with me. My children were all around me.6The path in front of me was like sweet cream. It was as if the rock poured out olive oil for me.7‘In those days I went to the city gate. I took my seat as a member of the council.8Young people who saw me stepped to one side. Old people stood up as I approached.9The leaders stopped speaking. They covered their mouths with their hands.10The voices of the nobles became quiet. Their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.11Everyone who heard me said good things about me. Those who saw me honoured me.12That’s because I saved poor people who cried out for help. I saved helpless children whose fathers had died.13Those who were dying gave me their blessing. I made the hearts of widows sing.14I put on a godly life as if it were my clothes. Fairness was my robe and my turban.15I was like eyes for those who were blind. I was like feet for those who couldn’t walk.16I was like a father to needy people. I stood up for strangers in court.17Sinners are like animals that have powerful teeth. But I took from their mouths the people they had caught.18‘I thought, “I’ll die in my own house. The days of my life will be as many as the grains of sand.19My roots will reach down to the water. The dew will lie all night on my branches.20I will remain healthy and strong. My bow will stay as good as new in my hand.”21‘People wanted to hear what I had to say. They waited silently for the advice I gave them.22After I had spoken, they didn’t speak anymore. My words fell gently on their ears.23They waited for me just as they would wait for rain showers. They drank my words just as they would drink the spring rain.24When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it. The light of my face lifted their spirits.25I chose the way they should go. I sat as their chief. I lived as a king lives among his troops. I was like someone who comforts those who are sad.
Job 29
King James Version
1Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,2Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;3When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;4As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;5When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;6When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;7When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!8The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.9The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.10The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.11When the ear heard me , then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me , it gave witness to me:12Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow' heart to sing for joy.14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.15I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.16I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.17And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.18Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.19My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.20My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.21Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.22After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.23And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.24If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.25I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
1Dann setzte Ijob seine Rede fort und sprach:2Dass ich doch wäre / wie in längst vergangenen Monden, / wie in den Tagen, da mich Gott beschirmte,3als seine Leuchte über meinem Haupt erstrahlte, / in seinem Licht ich durch das Dunkel ging. (Ps 18:29; Ps 23:4)4So, wie ich in den Tagen meiner Frühzeit war, / als Gottes Freundschaft über meinem Zelte stand,5als der Allmächtige noch mit mir war, / meine Kinder mich umgaben, (Ge 28:20; Ge 31:5; Ps 46:8; Ps 127:3; Ps 128:3)6als meine Schritte sich in Milch gebadet, / Bäche von Öl der Fels mir ergoss. (Job 20:17)7Ging ich durchs Tor zur Stadt hinauf, / ließ ich auf dem Platz meinen Sitz aufstellen;8sahen mich die Jungen, so traten sie scheu beiseite, / die Alten standen auf und blieben stehen. (Le 19:32)9Fürsten hielten mit Reden sich zurück / und legten ihre Hand auf ihren Mund. (Job 21:5; Wis 8:12)10Der Edlen Stimme blieb stumm, / am Gaumen klebte ihre Zunge.11Hörte mich ein Ohr, pries es mich glücklich, / das Auge, das mich sah, stimmte mir zu.12Denn ich rettete den Armen, der schrie, / die Waise, die ohne Helfer war. (Job 6:14; Ps 72:12; Isa 11:4)13Der Segen des Verlorenen kam über mich / und jubeln ließ ich der Witwe Herz.14Ich bekleidete mich mit Gerechtigkeit, / wie Mantel und Kopfbund umhüllte mich mein Recht. (Job 19:9; Ps 132:9; Isa 59:17)15Auge war ich für den Blinden, / dem Lahmen wurde ich zum Fuß.16Vater war ich für die Armen, / des Unbekannten Rechtsstreit prüfte ich. (Pr 29:7)17Ich zerschmetterte des Bösen Kiefer, / entriss die Beute seinen Zähnen. (Ps 3:8)18So dachte ich: Mit meinem Nest werde ich verscheiden / und gleich dem Phönix meine Tage mehren.19Meine Wurzel reiche bis an das Wasser, / Tau nächtige auf meinen Zweigen. (Ps 1:1)20Neu bleibe mir meine Ehre, / mein Bogen verjünge sich in meiner Hand.21Auf mich hörten sie und warteten, / sie lauschten schweigend meinem Rat.22Nachdem ich gesprochen, ergriff keiner das Wort, / es träufelte nieder auf sie meine Rede.23Sie harrten auf mich wie auf Regen, / sperrten den Mund wie nach Spätregen auf. (De 32:2)24Lächelte ich denen zu, die ohne Vertrauen, / sie wiesen das Leuchten meines Gesichts nicht ab.[1] (Nu 6:25; Ps 4:7; Pr 16:15)25Ich bestimmte ihr Tun, ich saß als Haupt, / thronte wie ein König inmitten der Schar, wie einer, der Trauernde tröstet.