
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 29
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Iyov again took up his theme and said:
vai-YO-sef ee-YOV s'-ET m'-sha-LO va-YO-mer
אוַיֹּ֣סֶף אִ֭יּוֹב שְׂאֵ֥ת מְשָׁל֗וֹ וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2O that I were as in months gone by, In the days when Hashem watched over me,
mi-yi-t'-NEE k'-yar-khay-KHE-dem ki-MAY e-lo-HA yish-m'-RE-ni
במִֽי־יִתְּנֵ֥נִי כְיַרְחֵי־קֶ֑דֶם כִּ֝ימֵ֗י אֱל֣וֹהַּ יִשְׁמְרֵֽנִי׃
3When His lamp shone over my head, When I walked in the dark by its light,
b'-hi-LO n'-RO a-LAY ro-SHEE, l'-o-RO o-REKH kho-SHEKH
גבְּהִלּ֣וֹ נֵ֭רוֹ עֲלֵ֣י רֹאשִׁ֑י לְ֝אוֹר֗וֹ אֵ֣לֶךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
4When I was in my prime, When Hashem's company graced my tent,
ka-a-SHER ha-YEE-tee bi-MAY khor-PEE b'-SOD e-lo-AH a-LEI a-ho-LEE
דכַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר הָ֭יִיתִי בִּימֵ֣י חׇרְפִּ֑י בְּס֥וֹד אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ עֲלֵ֣י אׇהֳלִֽי׃
5When Shaddai was still with me, When my lads surrounded me,
b'-OD sha-DAI i-ma-DEE, s'-vi-VO-tai n'-a-RAI
הבְּע֣וֹד שַׁ֭דַּי עִמָּדִ֑י סְבִ֖יבוֹתַ֣י נְעָרָֽי׃
6When my feet were bathed in cream, And rocks poured out streams of oil for me.
bir-KHOTZ ha-li-KHAI b'-khe-MAH v'-TZUR ya-TZUK i-MA-dai pal-gei-sha-MEN
ובִּרְחֹ֣ץ הֲלִיכַ֣י בְּחֵמָ֑ה וְצ֥וּר יָצ֥וּק עִ֝מָּדִ֗י פַּלְגֵי־שָֽׁמֶן׃
7When I passed through the city gates To take my seat in the square,
b'-tze-TI sha-AR a-LEI-ka-RET ba-RE-khOV a-KHIN mo-SHA-vee
זבְּצֵ֣אתִי שַׁ֣עַר עֲלֵי־קָ֑רֶת בָּ֝רְח֗וֹב אָכִ֥ין מוֹשָׁבִֽי׃
8Young men saw me and hid, Elders rose and stood;
ra-U-NEE n'-a-REEM v'-nekh-BA-u vi-shi-SHEEM ka-MU a-MA-du
חרָא֣וּנִי נְעָרִ֣ים וְנֶחְבָּ֑אוּ וִ֝ישִׁישִׁ֗ים קָ֣מוּ עָמָֽדוּ׃
9Nobles held back their words; They clapped their hands to their mouths.
sa-RIM a-TZE-ru b'-mi-LIM, v'-KAF ya-see-MU l'-fi-HEM.
טשָׂ֭רִים עָצְר֣וּ בְמִלִּ֑ים וְ֝כַ֗ף יָשִׂ֥ימוּ לְפִיהֶֽם׃
10The voices of princes were hushed; Their tongues stuck to their palates.
KOL-ne-gi-DEEM nekh-BA-u, u-l'-sho-NAHM le-khi-KAM da-VE-ka
יקוֹל־נְגִידִ֥ים נֶחְבָּ֑אוּ וּ֝לְשׁוֹנָ֗ם לְחִכָּ֥ם דָּבֵֽקָה׃
11The ear that heard me acclaimed me; The eye that saw, commended me.
ki o-ZEN sha-ME-a va-t'-a-sh'-RE-ni, v'-a-YIN ra-a-TA va-t'-ee-DE-ni
יאכִּ֤י אֹ֣זֶן שָׁ֭מְעָה וַֽתְּאַשְּׁרֵ֑נִי וְעַ֥יִן רָ֝אֲתָ֗ה וַתְּעִידֵֽנִי׃
12For I saved the poor man who cried out, The orphan who had none to help him.
ki-a-ma-LET a-NEE m'-sha-VE-a, v'-ya-TOM v'-lo-o-ZER lo
יבכִּֽי־אֲ֭מַלֵּט עָנִ֣י מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ וְ֝יָת֗וֹם וְֽלֹא־עֹזֵ֥ר לֽוֹ׃
13I received the blessing of the lost; I gladdened the heart of the widow.
birkat o-VED a-LAI ta-VO, v'-LEV al-ma-NAH ar-NAN
יגבִּרְכַּ֣ת אֹ֭בֵד עָלַ֣י תָּבֹ֑א וְלֵ֖ב אַלְמָנָ֣ה אַרְנִֽן׃
14I clothed myself in righteousness and it robed me; Justice was my cloak and turban.
TSE-dek la-BA-shti va-yil-BA-she-NI, k'-me-IL v'-tza-NEEF mish-PA-tee.
ידצֶ֣דֶק לָ֭בַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁ֑נִי כִּמְעִ֥יל וְ֝צָנִ֗יף מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃
15I was eyes to the blind And feet to the lame.
EY-nayim ha-YEE-tee la-i-VER v'-rag-la-YEEM la-pi-SAY-akh a-NEE
טועֵינַ֣יִם הָ֭יִיתִי לַעִוֵּ֑ר וְרַגְלַ֖יִם לַפִּסֵּ֣חַ אָֽנִי׃
16I was a father to the needy, And I looked into the case of the stranger.
aV a-NO-khi la-ev-YO-neem, v'-RIV lo-ya-DA-tee ekh-ke-RE-hu
טזאָ֣ב אָ֭נֹכִ֥י לָאֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים וְרִ֖ב לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃
17I broke the jaws of the wrongdoer, And I wrested prey from his teeth.
va-a-sha-B'-ra m'-ta-l'-OT a-VAL u-mi-shi-NAV ash-LEEKH ta-REF
יזוָ֭אֲשַׁבְּרָה מְתַלְּע֣וֹת עַוָּ֑ל וּ֝מִשִּׁנָּ֗יו אַשְׁלִ֥יךְ טָֽרֶף׃
18I thought I would end my days with my family, And be as long-lived as the phoenix,
va-o-MAR im-ki-NI eg-VA, v'-ka-KHOL ar-BEH ya-MEEM
יחוָ֭אֹמַר עִם־קִנִּ֣י אֶגְוָ֑ע וְ֝כַח֗וֹל אַרְבֶּ֥ה יָמִֽים׃
19My roots reaching water, And dew lying on my branches;
SHOR-shi fa-TOO-akh e-lei-MA-yim, v'-TAL ya-LEEN bik-TZI-ree
יטשׇׁרְשִׁ֣י פָת֣וּחַ אֱלֵי־מָ֑יִם וְ֝טַ֗ל יָלִ֥ין בִּקְצִירִֽי׃
20My vigor refreshed, My bow ever new in my hand.
k'-vo-DEE kha-DAsh i-MA-dee v'-kash-TEE b'-ya-DEE ta-kha-LEEF
ככְּ֭בוֹדִי חָדָ֣שׁ עִמָּדִ֑י וְ֝קַשְׁתִּ֗י בְּיָדִ֥י תַחֲלִֽיף׃
21Men would listen to me expectantly, And wait for my counsel.
li-sha-MU v'-yi-CHE-lu v'-yi-D'-mu l'-mo a-tza-TEE
כאלִֽי־שָׁמְע֥וּ וְיִחֵ֑לּוּ וְ֝יִדְּמ֗וּ לְמ֣וֹ עֲצָתִֽי׃
22After I spoke they had nothing to say; My words were as drops [of dew] upon them.
a-kha-RAY d'-va-REE lo yish-NU, v'-a-LEI-mo ti-TOF mi-LA-tee
כבאַחֲרֵ֣י דְ֭בָרִי לֹ֣א יִשְׁנ֑וּ וְ֝עָלֵ֗ימוֹ תִּטֹּ֥ף מִלָּתִֽי׃
23They waited for me as for rain, For the late rain, their mouths open wide.
v'-yi-kha-LU kha-ma-TAR li u-fi-HEM pa-a-ru l'-mal-KOSH
כגוְיִחֲל֣וּ כַמָּטָ֣ר לִ֑י וּ֝פִיהֶ֗ם פָּעֲר֥וּ לְמַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃
24When I smiled at them, they would not believe it; They never expected a sign of my favor.
es-KHAK a-LE-hem lo ya-a-MI-nu, v'-OR pa-NAI lo ya-PI-lun.
כדאֶשְׂחַ֣ק אֲ֭לֵהֶם לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ינוּ וְא֥וֹר פָּ֝נַ֗י לֹ֣א יַפִּילֽוּן׃
25I decided their course and presided over them; I lived like a king among his troops, Like one who consoles mourners.
ev-KHAR dar-KAM v'-ay-SHAYV ROSH v'-esh-KON k'-ME-lekh ba-g'-DUD ka-a-SHER a-vay-LEEM y'-na-KHAYM
כהאֶ֥בְחַ֣ר דַּרְכָּם֮ וְאֵשֵׁ֢ב רֹ֥֫אשׁ וְ֭אֶשְׁכּוֹן כְּמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּגְּד֑וּד כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲבֵלִ֣ים יְנַחֵֽם׃
29:25 I lived like a king among his troops
Iyov notes that he was able to comfort the mourners and to deal fairly with the poor and widows because he was respected among them. It is relatively easy to be merciful and kind from a high position. Perhaps part of Iyov’s test is to learn that his kindness should not be contingent on his feelings of superiority. Compassion and sensitivity to others is built into the nature of the Land of Israel, where the Sabbatical year (Sh’mitta) is observed every seven years, to remember and provide for the needy and less fortunate (see Leviticus 25, 6-7).