¹Og Job vedblev at fremsætte sit Tankesprog:

¹And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: —

²Ak, havde jeg det som tilforn, som dengang Gud tog sig af mig,

²Who doth make me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God`s preserving me?

³da hans Lampe lyste over mit Hoved, og jeg ved hans Lys vandt frem i Mørke,

³In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.

⁴som i mine modne År, da Guds Fortrolighed var over mit Telt,

⁴As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.

⁵da den Almægtige end var hos mig og mine Drenge var om mig,

⁵When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about me — my young ones,

⁶da mine Fødder vaded i Fløde, og Olie strømmede, hvor jeg stod,

⁶When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me rivulets of oil.

⁷da jeg gik ud til Byens Port og rejste mit Sæde på Torvet.

⁷When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

⁸Når Ungdommen så mig, gemte deo sig, Oldinge rejste sig op og stod,

⁸Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen — they stood up.

⁹Høvdinger standsed i Talen og lagde Hånd på Mund,

⁹Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.

¹⁰Stormænds Røst forstummed, deres Tunge klæbed til Ganen;

¹⁰The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.

¹¹Øret hørte og priste mig lykkelig, Øjet så og tilkendte mig Ære.

¹¹For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth [to] me.

¹²Thi jeg redded den arme, der skreg om Hjælp, den faderløse, der savned en Hjælper;

¹²For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.

¹³den, det gik skævt, velsignede mig, jeg frydede Enkens Hjerte;

¹³The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.

¹⁴jeg klædte mig i Retfærd, og den i mig, i Ret som Kappe og Hovedbind.

¹⁴Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.

¹⁵Jeg var den blindes Øje, jeg var den lammes Fod;

¹⁵Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.

¹⁶jeg var de fattiges Fader, udreded den mig ukendtes Sag;

¹⁶A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

¹⁷den lovløses Tænder brød jeg, rev Byttet ud af hans Gab.

¹⁷And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

¹⁸Så tænkte jeg da: "Jeg skal dø i min Rede, leve så længe som Føniksfuglen;

¹⁸And I say, `With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.`

¹⁹min Rod kan Vand komme til, Duggen har Nattely i mine Grene;

¹⁹My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.

²⁰min Ære er altid ny, min Bue er altid ung i min Hånd!"

²⁰My honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.

²¹Mig hørte de på og bied, var tavse, mens jeg gav Råd;

²¹To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

²²ingen tog Ordet, når jeg havde talt, mine Ord faldt kvægende på dem;

²²After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,

²³de bied på mig som på Regn, spærred Munden op efter Vårregn.

²³And they wait as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide [As] for the latter rain.

²⁴Mistrøstige smilte jeg til, mit Åsyns Lys fik de ej til at svinde.

²⁴I laugh unto them — they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.

²⁵Vejen valgte jeg for dem og sad som Høvding, troned som Konge blandt Hærmænd, som den, der gav sørgende Trøst.

²⁵I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.