Job 29

Job's summary of his case (chapters 29-31) is as touching as any constructed literature one might read. The final recurring root in this chapter, (verses 21 and 23) what I would call its focus, is hope. Certain verses are marked by recurrence. Verse 13 has no significant recurrence, (and verse 12 only the negative particle). In the music, verses 11, 14, 16, 18, 20 all begin on other than the tonic. (In traditional words, this means the first syllable has an odd accentuation.)

How do you tell your world of your hope for justice. You pursue it as your intention and in your actions. So Job describes his position in society. Perhaps we might just consider him privileged and undeserving. Did he become complacent? We should hold our fire till the end of the speech. Then we will see if Elihu has an answer that satisfies us. Last time I read this, I had a higher opinion of Elihu than others but I confess to not really remembering it anyway. I am also convinced by Yahweh's 'answer' but we are not finished with that either at this point in this second reading. I cast out the grappling hooks to some of the final chapters last year, and we will reach the end, or so I hope.

Job 29		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיֹּ֣סֶף אִ֭יּוֹב שְׂאֵ֥ת מְשָׁל֗וֹ וַיֹּאמַֽר	1		And again Job lifted up his parable and said,	3e	4B	13
מִֽי־יִתְּנֵ֥נִי כְיַרְחֵי־קֶ֑דֶם כִּ֝ימֵ֗י אֱל֣וֹהַּ יִשְׁמְרֵֽנִי	2		Who will give me the moons of old, like the days when God sheltered me,	3e	4B	8 9
בְּהִלּ֣וֹ נֵ֭רוֹ עֲלֵ֣י רֹאשִׁ֑י לְ֝אוֹרוֹ אֵ֣לֶךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ	3		When his lamp praised over my head, in its light I walked darkness,	3e	4B	9 7
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר הָ֭יִיתִי בִּימֵ֣י חָרְפִּ֑י בְּס֥וֹד אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ עֲלֵ֣י אָהֳלִֽי	4		As I had been in the days of my autumn, with the intimacy of God over my tent.	3e	4B	10 10
בְּע֣וֹד שַׁ֭דַּי עִמָּדִ֑י סְבִ֖יבוֹתַ֣י נְעָרָֽי	5	B	Before the Sufficient was with me, round about me my youngsters,	3e	4B	7 7
בִּרְחֹ֣ץ הֲלִיכַ֣י בְּחֵמָ֑ה וְצ֥וּר יָצ֥וּק עִ֝מָּדִ֗י פַּלְגֵי־שָֽׁמֶן	6		When I washed my walk with clotted cream, and rock infusing standing streams of oil,	3e	4B	8 10
בְּצֵ֣אתִי שַׁ֣עַר עֲלֵי־קָ֑רֶת בָּ֝רְח֗וֹב אָכִ֥ין מוֹשָׁבִֽי	7		When I went out the gate to town, in the piazza I prepared my seat,	3e	4B	8 7
רָא֣וּנִי נְעָרִ֣ים וְנֶחְבָּ֑אוּ וִֽ֝ישִׁישִׁים קָ֣מוּ עָמָֽדוּ	8	B	The youngsters would see me and camouflage themselves, and the wizened arose and stood.	3e	4B	10 8
שָׂ֭רִים עָצְר֣וּ בְמִלִּ֑ים וְ֝כַ֗ף יָשִׂ֥ימוּ לְפִיהֶֽם	9	g	Chiefs contained their speeches, and palm they set over their mouths.	3e	4B	7 8
קוֹל־נְגִידִ֥ים נֶחְבָּ֑אוּ וּ֝לְשׁוֹנָ֗ם לְחִכָּ֥ם דָּבֵֽקָה	10		The voice of the aristocrats was camouflaged, and their tongue to their palate clung.	3e	4A	7 9
כִּ֤י אֹ֣זֶן שָׁ֭מְעָה וַֽתְּאַשְּׁרֵ֑נִי וְעַ֥יִן רָ֝אֲתָ֗ה וַתְּעִידֵֽנִי	11	C	When an ear heard, it thought me happy, and an eye seeing, it testified of me.	3e	4C	9 9
כִּֽי־אֲ֭מַלֵּט עָנִ֣י מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ וְ֝יָת֗וֹם וְֽלֹא־עֹזֵ֥ר לֽוֹ	12		For I made the poor escape from crying, and the orphan and one without help for him.	3e	4B	9 7
בִּרְכַּ֣ת אֹ֭בֵד עָלַ֣י תָּבֹ֑א וְלֵ֖ב אַלְמָנָ֣ה אַרְנִֽן	13		The blessing of one perishing upon me came, and the heart of the widow, I made to shout with joy.	3e	4B	8 7
צֶ֣דֶק לָ֭בַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁ֑נִי כִּֽמְעִ֥יל וְ֝צָנִ֗יף מִשְׁפָּטִֽי	14	B	Justice I clothed and it clothed me, as a mantle and a turban from my judge.	3e	4B	10 8
עֵינַ֣יִם הָ֭יִיתִי לַֽעִוֵּ֑ר וְרַגְלַ֖יִם לַפִּסֵּ֣חַ אָֽנִי	15		Eyes I was to the blind, and feet to the lame was I.	3e	4B	8 9
אָ֣ב אָ֭נֹכִֽי לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים וְרִ֖ב לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ	16	B	A father myself to the needy, and a dispute I did not know, I examined.	3e	4B	8 9
וָֽ֭אֲשַׁבְּרָה מְתַלְּע֣וֹת עַוָּ֑ל וּ֝מִשִּׁנָּ֗יו אַשְׁלִ֥יךְ טָֽרֶף	17		I shattered the fangs of injustice, and from its teeth I cast out prey.	3e	4B	9 8
וָ֭אֹמַר עִם־קִנִּ֣י אֶגְוָ֑ע וְ֝כַח֗וֹל אַרְבֶּ֥ה יָמִֽים	18	g	And I said, With my nest I will expire, and as the sand, I will increase my days.	3e	4B	8 7
שָׁרְשִׁ֣י פָת֣וּחַ אֱלֵי־מָ֑יִם וְ֝טַ֗ל יָלִ֥ין בִּקְצִירִֽי	19		My roots opened over water, and dew lodged in my harvest.	3e	4B	8 7
כְּ֭בוֹדִי חָדָ֣שׁ עִמָּדִ֑י וְ֝קַשְׁתִּ֗י בְּיָדִ֥י תַחֲלִֽיף	20	g	My glory was new with me, and my bow in my hand was renewed.	3e	4B	8 9
לִֽי־שָׁמְע֥וּ וְיִחֵ֑לּוּ וְ֝יִדְּמ֗וּ לְמ֣וֹ עֲצָתִֽי	21		Me they heard and they hoped, and they were mute for my advice.	3e	4B	7 8
אַחֲרֵ֣י דְ֭בָרִי לֹ֣א יִשְׁנ֑וּ וְ֝עָלֵ֗ימוֹ תִּטֹּ֥ף מִלָּתִֽי	22		After my words they made no adjustment, and on them dropped my speech.	3e	4B	9 9
וְיִֽחֲל֣וּ כַמָּטָ֣ר לִ֑י וּ֝פִיהֶ֗ם פָּעֲר֥וּ לְמַלְקֽוֹשׁ	23		And they hoped as if for rain, for me, and their mouths gawk for ultimate maturity.	3e	4B	8 9
אֶשְׂחַ֣ק אֲ֭לֵהֶם לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ינוּ וְא֥וֹר פָּ֝נַ֗י לֹ֣א יַפִּילֽוּן	24		I laughed at them. They did not believe it, and the light of my presence, they did not let fall.	3e	4B	10 8
אֶֽבֲחַ֣ר דַּרְכָּם֮ וְאֵשֵׁ֪ב רֹ֥אשׁ וְ֭אֶשְׁכּוֹן כְּמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּגְּד֑וּד כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲבֵלִ֣ים יְנַחֵֽם	25		I chose their way and sat preeminent and I dwelt as royalty with collaborators, as consoling those who lament.	3d	4B	17 9