Job Recalls His Former Glory

291 And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith:— 2 Who doth make me as 'in' months past, As 'in' the days of God's preserving me? 3 In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk 'through' darkness. 4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent. 5 When yet the Mighty One 'is' with me. Round about me—my young ones, 6 When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock 'is' with me rivulets of oil.

7 When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat. 8 Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up. 9 Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth. 10 The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved. 11 For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth 'to' me. 12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper. 13 The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing. 14 Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice. 15 Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame 'am' I. 16 A father I 'am' to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out. 17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

18 And I say, 'With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.' 19 My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch. 20 My honour 'is' fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed. 21 To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel. 22 After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop, 23 And they wait as 'for' rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide 'As' for the latter rain. 24 I laugh unto them—they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall. 25 I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.

Job Bewails His Birth

31 After this hath Job opened his mouth, and revileth his day. 2 And Job answereth and saith:— 3 Let the day perish in which I am born, And the night that hath said: 'A man-child hath been conceived.' 4 That day—let it be darkness, Let not God require it from above, Nor let light shine upon it. 5 Let darkness and death-shade redeem it, Let a cloud tabernacle upon it, Let them terrify it as the most bitter of days. 6 That night—let thick darkness take it, Let it not be united to days of the year, Into the number of months let it not come. 7 Lo! that night—let it be gloomy, Let no singing come into it. 8 Let the cursers of day mark it, Who are ready to wake up Leviathan. 9 Let the stars of its twilight be dark, Let it wait for light, and there is none, And let it not look on the eyelids of the dawn. 10 Because it hath not shut the doors Of the womb that was mine! And hide misery from mine eyes.

11 Why from the womb do I not die? From the belly I have come forth and gasp! 12 Wherefore have knees been before me? And what 'are' breasts, that I suck? 13 For now, I have lain down, and am quiet, I have slept—then there is rest to me, 14 With kings and counsellors of earth, These building wastes for themselves. 15 Or with princes—they have gold, They are filling their houses 'with' silver. 16 (Or as a hidden abortion I am not, As infants—they have not seen light.) 17 There the wicked have ceased troubling, And there rest do the wearied in power. 18 Together prisoners have been at ease, They have not heard the voice of an exactor, 19 Small and great 'are' there the same. And a servant 'is' free from his lord.

20 Why giveth He to the miserable light, and life to the bitter soul? 21 Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures. 22 Who are glad—unto joy, They rejoice when they find a grave. 23 To a man whose way hath been hidden, And whom God doth shut up? 24 For before my food, my sighing cometh, And poured out as waters 'are' my roarings. 25 For a fear I feared and it meeteth me, And what I was afraid of doth come to me. 26 I was not safe—nor was I quiet—Nor was I at rest—and trouble cometh!