Shir ha-Shirim (שיר השירים ) - Cantico dei Cantici 29

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 וַיֹּסֶף אִיֹּוב שְׂאֵת מְשָׁלֹו וַיֹּאמַר	1 Job took up his theme anew and said;
2 מִי־יִתְּנֵנִי כְיַרְחֵי־קֶדֶם כִּימֵי אֱלֹוהַּ יִשְׁמְרֵנִי	2 Oh, that I were as in the months past! as in the days when God watched over me,
3 בְּהִלֹּו נֵרֹו עֲלֵי רֹאשִׁי לְאֹורֹו אֵלֶךְ חֹשֶׁךְ	3 While he kept his lamp shining above my head, and by his light I walked through darkness;
4 כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיִיתִי בִּימֵי חָרְפִּי בְּסֹוד אֱלֹוהַּ עֲלֵי אָהֳלִי	4 As I was in my flourishing days, when God sheltered my tent;
5 בְּעֹוד דַּי עִמָּדִי סְבִיבֹותַי נְעָרָי	5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were round about me;
6 בִּרְחֹץ הֲלִיכַי בְּחֵמָה וְצוּר יָצוּק עִמָּדִי פַּלְגֵי־שָׁמֶן	6 When my footsteps were bathed in milk, and the rock flowed with streams of oil;
7 בְּצֵאתִי שַׁעַר עֲלֵי־קָרֶת בָּרְחֹוב אָכִין מֹושָׁבִי	7 When I went forth to the gate of the city and set up my seat in the square-
8 רָאוּנִי נְעָרִים וְנֶחְבָּאוּ וִישִׁישִׁים קָמוּ עָמָדוּ	8 Then the young men saw me and withdrew, while the elders rose up and stood;
9 רִים עָצְרוּ בְמִלִּים וְכַף יָשִׂימוּ לְפִיהֶם	9 The chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;
10 קֹול־נְגִידִים נֶחְבָּאוּ וּלְשֹׁונָם לְחִכָּם דָּבֵקָה	10 The voice of the princes was silenced, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 כִּי אֹזֶן מְעָה וַתְּאַשְּׁרֵנִי וְעַיִן רָאֲתָה וַתְּעִידֵנִי	11 Whoever heard of me blessed me; those who saw me commended me.
12 כִּי־אֲמַלֵּט עָנִי מְשַׁוֵּעַ וְיָתֹום וְלֹא־עֹזֵר לֹו	12 For I rescued the poor who cried out for help, the orphans, and the unassisted;
13 בִּרְכַּת אֹבֵד עָלַי תָּבֹא וְלֵב אַלְמָנָה אַרְנִן	13 The blessing of those in extremity came upon me, and the heart of the widow I made joyful.
14 צֶדֶק לָבַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁנִי כִּמְעִיל וְצָנִיף מִשְׁפָּטִי	14 I wore my honesty like a garment; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 עֵינַיִם הָיִיתִי לַעִוֵּר וְרַגְלַיִם לַפִּסֵּחַ אָנִי	15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame was I;
16 אָב אָנֹכִי לָאֶבְיֹונִים וְרִב לֹא־יָדַעְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵהוּ	16 I was a father to the needy; the rights of the stranger I studied,
17 וָאֲשַׁבְּרָה מְתַלְּעֹות עַוָּל וּמִשִּׁנָּיו אַשְׁלִיךְ טָרֶף	17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked man; from his teeth I forced the prey.
18 וָאֹמַר עִם־קִנִּי אֶגְוָע וְכַחֹול אַרְבֶּה יָמִים	18 Then I said: "In my own nest I shall grow old; I shall multiply years like the phoenix.
19 שָׁרְשִׁי פָתוּחַ אֱלֵי־מָיִם וְטַל יָלִין בִּקְצִירִי	19 My root is spread out to the waters; the dew rests by night on my branches.
20 כְּבֹודִי חָדָשׁ עִמָּדִי וְקַשְׁתִּי בְּיָדִי תַחֲלִיף	20 My glory is fresh within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand!"
21 לִי־שָׁמְעוּ וְיִחֵלּוּ וְיִדְּמוּ לְמֹו עֲצָתִי	21 For me they listened and waited; they were silent for my counsel.
22 אַחֲרֵי דְבָרִי לֹא יִשְׁנוּ וְעָלֵימֹו תִּטֹּף מִלָּתִי	22 Once I spoke, they said no more, but received my pronouncement drop by drop.
23 וְיִחֲלוּ כַמָּטָר לִי וּפִיהֶם פָּעֲרוּ לְמַלְקֹושׁ	23 They waited for me as for the rain; they drank in my words like the spring rains.
24 אֶשְׂחַק אֲלֵהֶם לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ וְאֹור פָּנַי לֹא יַפִּילוּן	24 When I smiled on them they were reassured;
25 אֶבֲחַר דַּרְכָּם וְאֵשֵׁב רֹאשׁ וְאֶשְׁכֹּון כְּמֶלֶךְ בַּגְּדוּד כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבֵלִים יְנַחֵם	25 mourners took comfort from my cheerful glance. I chose out their way and presided; I took a king's place in the armed forces.