King James Version

Job 29:16

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

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Hebrew

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אָ֣בavfatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “father”, the ordinary formH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.אָ֭נֹכִֽיanokhimeאָנֹכִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “me”H595II, me, [idiom] which.לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִ֑יםlaevyonimto beggarאֶבְיוֹןpreposition, with the article, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “to beggar”, the ordinary formH34destitutebeggar, needy, poor (man).וְרִ֖בverivand causeרִיבconjunction, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “and cause”, the ordinary formH7379a contest (personal or legal)[phrase] adversary, cause, chiding, contend(-tion), controversy, multitude (from the margin), pleading, strife, strive(-ing), suit.לֹאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יָדַ֣עְתִּיyadatiknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּechqerehvfind outחָקַרverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “find out”, an unfinished actionH2713properly, to penetrate; hence, to examine intimatelyfind out, (make) search (out), seek (out), sound, try.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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American Standard Version (1901)

I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

Young’s Literal Translation

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

World English Bible

I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.

Darby Translation

I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not I searched out;

Douay-Rheims

I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐγὼ ἤμην πατὴρ ἀδυνάτων, δίκην δὲ ἣν οὐκ ᾔδειν ἐξιχνίασα.