וַיֹּסֶף אִיּוֹב שְׂאֵת מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר

Job again took up his oration and said:

מִי־יִתְּנֵנִי כְיַרְחֵי קֶדֶם כּימֵי אֱלוֹהַּ יִשְׁמְרֵנִי

If only I were as in the months of old; if only I could go back and live again as I did in the days when God would protect me;

בְּהִלּוֹ נֵרוֹ עֲלֵי רֹאשִׁי לְאוֹרוֹ אֵלֶךְ חֹשֶׁךְ

when His lamp would shine over my head, when God protected me, and by His light I would walk even through darkness.

כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיִיתִי בִּימֵי חָרְפִּי בְּסוֹד אֱלוֹהַּ עֲלֵי אָהֳלִי

I wish I could return to my previous existence, as I was in the days of my youth, the period of my growth, with the intimacy of God, His closeness, or special providence, over my tent;

בְּעוֹד שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי סְבִיבוֹתַי נְעָרָי

when the Almighty was still with me, and at the time when my lads, my servants and assistants, surrounded me, I was protected and strong;

בִּרְחֹץ הֲלִיכַי בְּחֵמָה וְצוּר יָצוּק עִמָּדִי פַּלְגֵי־שָׁמֶן

when my feet were bathed in butter, I enjoyed economic bounty in those days, and the rock poured for me rivers of oil. This rock perhaps represents Job’s secure fortress, surrounded by rivers of oil, so to speak;

בְּצֵאתִי שַׁעַר עֲלֵי־קָרֶת בָּרְחוֹב אָכִין מוֹשָׁבִי

I was not merely secure and wealthy; I also enjoyed a lofty social status: When I would go out to the gate of the city, and in the plaza, in the square, another place where the leaders sat, I would prepare, establish, my seat.

רָאוּנִי נְעָרִים וְנֶחְבָּאוּ וישִׁישִׁים קָמוּ עָמָדוּ

In those days, lads saw me and hid, in awe of my greatness, and even elders rose and stood in my honor.

שָׂרִים עָצְרוּ בְמִלִּים וְכַף יָשִׂימוּ לְפִיהֶם

Princes ceased their words in my presence, and placed a hand to their mouths, as a signal for silence;

קוֹל־נְגִידִים נֶחְבָּאוּ וּלְשׁוֹנָם לְחִכָּם דָּבֵקָה

the voice of rulers was hushed, and their tongue cleaved in silence to their palate.

כִּי אֹזֶן שָׁמְעָה וַתְּאַשְּׁרֵנִי וְעַיִן רָאֲתָה וַתְּעִידֵנִי

All these people gave me respect, for the ear of all heard and affirmed me, my fine demeanor and speech, and the eye of everyone saw and attested to me, my good deeds,

כִּי־אֲמַלֵּט עָנִי מְשַׁוֵּעַ וְיָתוֹם וְלֹא עֹזֵר לוֹ

that I would rescue the crying poor and the orphan with no one to help him.

בִּרְכַּת אֹבֵד עָלַי תָּבֹא וְלֵב אַלְמָנָה אַרְנִן

Furthermore, since I helped those who had lost their way, or property, the blessing of the lost would come to me, and the heart of the widow I would gladden, as she had no other means of support.

צֶדֶק לָבַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁנִי כּמְעִיל וְצָנִיף מִשְׁפָּטִי

I donned righteousness, and it clothed me. I acted with righteousness, and it suited my character; like a robe, to wrap around myself, and a mitre was my justice.

עֵינַיִם הָיִיתִי לַעִוֵּר וְרַגְלַיִם לַפִּסֵּחַ אָנִי

Eyes, I was, to the blind, and feet to the lame was I. I helped all those who suffered from blemishes and all those who required assistance.

אָב אָנֹכִי לָאֶבְיוֹנִים וְרִב לֹא־יָדַעְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵהוּ

I was father to the indigent and, when hearing of a quarrel about which I did not know, as it did not relate to my life directly, I would investigate it. I cannot bear a fight; therefore, I got involved even in conflicts that did not concern me, and I sought to reconcile the difficulties.

וָאֲשַׁבְּרָה מְתַלְּעוֹת עַוָּל וּמִשִּׁנָּיו אַשְׁלִיךְ טָרֶף

It was not enough for me to investigate these cases; I was also an active participant in punishing the guilty: I would break the jaws of the unjust man, and from his teeth, which he used to oppress and harm his neighbors, I would cast out and rescue the prey.

וָאֹמַר עִם־קִנִּי אֶגְוָע וכ חוֹל אַרְבֶּה יָמִים

I would say: I will expire in my nest, in my place of security, as I do not require the kindnesses of others, and I can rest in peace for the rest of my life in my home, and I will multiply my days like sand. My days will be as many as the multitude of grains of sand. In many places in the Bible, sand represents increase and multiplicity.

שָׁרְשִׁי פָתוּחַ אֱלֵי־מָיִם וְטַל יָלִין בִּקְצִירִי

My root will be open to water, from which it will draw its sustenance. My existence will be as secure as a tree planted near water, an image which appears elsewhere in the Bible. And dew will lie during the night on my branch.

כְּבוֹדִי חָדָשׁ עִמָּדִי וְקַשְׁתִּי בְּיָדִי תַחֲלִיף

My honor is renewed and strengthened repeatedly in me, and my bow, my might, will constantly be rejuvenated in my hand.

לִי־שָׁמְעוּ וְיִחֵלּוּ וְיִדְּמוּ לְמוֹ עֲצָתִי

To me, they listened and looked forward to hearing more; they were silent for my counsel.

אַחֲרֵי דְבָרִי לֹא יִשְׁנוּ וְעָלֵימוֹ תִּטֹּף מִלָּתִי

They would not deviate from following my word and my instructions, and my utterance would rain upon them. My statements nurtured my listeners like drops of rainwater, or the dew that irrigates soil.

וְיִחֲלוּ כַמָּטָר לִי וּפִיהֶם פָּעֲרוּ מַלְקוֹשׁ

They looked forward to me as if they were waiting for rain, and they opened their mouth wide to absorb my words as though they were thirsty for a few more drops of spring rain.

אֶשְׂחַק אֲלֵהֶם לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ וְאוֹר פָּנַי לֹא יַפִּילוּן

Due to my lofty status, I would joke with them and they would not believe it. Though joking is unbecoming of one so respected, it would still remain exalted in their eyes, and the light of my face would not diminish.

אֶבְחַר דַּרְכָּם וְאֵשֵׁב רֹאשׁ וְאֶשְׁכּוֹן כְּמֶלֶךְ בַּגְּדוּד כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבֵלִים יְנַחֵם

I chose their way; I sat at the head and lived as a king among the troop, as one who consoles the mourners.