Add parallel Print Page Options

Job antwoordt Bildad (vervolg)

29 Verder zei Job:

Was ik maar weer als vroeger,
in de tijd dat God me nog beschermde.
Toen liet Hij zijn licht op mij schijnen.
Daardoor was zelfs het donker licht om mij heen.
Was alles nog maar zoals toen ik nog jong was!
Toen ging God net zo vertrouwelijk met mij om als een vriend.
Toen was de Almachtige God nog met mij.
Mijn kinderen waren nog om me heen.
Toen had ik succes in alles wat ik deed.
Ik werd bijna vanzelf rijk.
Als ik naar de poort van de stad ging
om op mijn stoel tussen de wijze mannen te gaan zitten,[a]
dan gingen de jonge mannen weg, uit respect voor mij.
Hoogbejaarde mannen stonden eerbiedig voor mij op.
Leiders onderbraken hun gesprekken
en zwegen uit respect voor mij.
10 Iedereen zweeg,
niemand durfde nog iets te zeggen.
11 Iedereen bewonderde mijn wijsheid.
Iedereen zei goede dingen over mij.
12 Want ik hielp arme mensen die mij om hulp vroegen.
Weeskinderen werden door mij geholpen.
13 Ze waren me allemaal dankbaar.
Arme weduwen waren blij met mij.
14 Ik was eerlijk en rechtvaardig
in alles wat ik deed.
15 Ik stond altijd klaar
om blinden en kreupelen te helpen.
16 Als een vader zorgde ik voor de arme mensen.
Iedereen die met een rechtszaak kwam, behandelde ik eerlijk.
Ook als het vreemden waren.
17 Ik strafte de mensen die schuldig waren
en zorgde ervoor dat alles weer goed kwam voor hun slachtoffers.
18 Ik dacht dat het voor altijd goed met me zou gaan.
Dat ik een lang en gezond leven zou hebben.
19 Ik was als een boom die met zijn wortels altijd water vindt
en die met zijn takken drinkt van de dauw.
20 Alle dagen werd ik geëerd en gerespecteerd.
Alle dagen voelde ik me sterk.
21 De mensen luisterden naar mij.
Ze vroegen me om raad en om mijn mening.
22 Als ik die gegeven had,
had niemand er nog iets aan toe te voegen.
Wat ik gezegd had, was genoeg.
23 Ze wachtten op mij zoals ze op de regen wachtten.
Van mij verwachtten ze goede woorden,
zoals de regen zorgt voor een goede oogst.
24 Als ik hen toelachte, konden ze het maar nauwelijks geloven.
Altijd was ik vriendelijk tegen iedereen.
25 Ik leidde hen als een leider.
Ik voelde me als een koning die zijn leger aanvoert.
Ik troostte mensen die bedroefd waren. (lees verder)

Footnotes

  1. Job 29:7 In de stadspoort verzamelden zich de wijze mannen van een plaats. Daar werden ook de rechtszaken behandeld.

29 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.

The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

Job’s Final Defense

29 Job continued his discourse:(A)

“How I long for the months gone by,(B)
    for the days when God watched over me,(C)
when his lamp shone on my head
    and by his light I walked through darkness!(D)
Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
    when God’s intimate friendship(E) blessed my house,(F)
when the Almighty was still with me
    and my children(G) were around me,(H)
when my path was drenched with cream(I)
    and the rock(J) poured out for me streams of olive oil.(K)

“When I went to the gate(L) of the city
    and took my seat in the public square,
the young men saw me and stepped aside(M)
    and the old men rose to their feet;(N)
the chief men refrained from speaking(O)
    and covered their mouths with their hands;(P)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,(Q)
    and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.(R)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
    and those who saw me commended me,(S)
12 because I rescued the poor(T) who cried for help,
    and the fatherless(U) who had none to assist them.(V)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;(W)
    I made the widow’s(X) heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness(Y) as my clothing;
    justice was my robe and my turban.(Z)
15 I was eyes(AA) to the blind
    and feet to the lame.(AB)
16 I was a father to the needy;(AC)
    I took up the case(AD) of the stranger.(AE)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
    and snatched the victims(AF) from their teeth.(AG)

18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
    my days as numerous as the grains of sand.(AH)
19 My roots will reach to the water,(AI)
    and the dew will lie all night on my branches.(AJ)
20 My glory will not fade;(AK)
    the bow(AL) will be ever new in my hand.’(AM)

21 “People listened to me expectantly,
    waiting in silence for my counsel.(AN)
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;(AO)
    my words fell gently on their ears.(AP)
23 They waited for me as for showers
    and drank in my words as the spring rain.(AQ)
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
    the light of my face(AR) was precious to them.[a](AS)
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;(AT)
    I dwelt as a king(AU) among his troops;
    I was like one who comforts mourners.(AV)

Footnotes

  1. Job 29:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.

Job's Summary Defense

29 And Job again (A)took up his discourse, and said:

“Oh, that I were as in the months of old,
    as in the days when God watched over me,
when his (B)lamp shone upon my head,
    and by his light I walked through darkness,
as I was in my prime,[a]
    when the (C)friendship of God was upon my tent,
when the Almighty was yet with me,
    when my (D)children were all around me,
when my steps were (E)washed with (F)butter,
    and (G)the rock poured out for me streams of (H)oil!
When I went out to (I)the gate of the city,
    when I prepared my seat in the square,
the young men saw me and withdrew,
    and the aged rose and stood;
the princes refrained from talking
    and (J)laid their hand on their mouth;
10 the voice of the nobles was hushed,
    and their (K)tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, it called me blessed,
    and when the eye saw, it approved,
12 because I (L)delivered the poor who cried for help,
    and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13 (M)The blessing of him who was (N)about to perish came upon me,
    and I caused (O)the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I (P)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
    my justice was like a robe and (Q)a turban.
15 I was (R)eyes to the blind
    and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
    and I searched out (S)the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I (T)broke (U)the fangs of the unrighteous
    and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18 (V)Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my (W)nest,
    and I shall multiply my days as (X)the sand,
19 my (Y)roots spread out to (Z)the waters,
    with the dew all night on my (AA)branches,
20 my glory fresh with me,
    and my (AB)bow ever (AC)new in my hand.’

21 “Men listened to me and waited
    and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After I spoke they did not speak again,
    and my word (AD)dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
    and they (AE)opened their mouths as for the (AF)spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
    and (AG)the light of my (AH)face they did not cast down.
25 I chose their way and sat as chief,
    and I lived like (AI)a king among his troops,
    like one who comforts mourners.

Footnotes

  1. Job 29:4 Hebrew my autumn days