Ayub 29:12

29:12 for I rescued the poor who cried out for help,

and the orphan who ¹  had no one to assist him;

Ayub 29:16

29:16 I was a father ²  to the needy,

and I investigated the case of the person I did not know;

[29:12]  ¹ tn The negative introduces a clause that serves as a negative attribute; literally the following clause says, “and had no helper” (see GKC 482 §152.u).

[29:16]  ² sn The word “father” does not have a wide range of meanings in the OT. But there are places that it is metaphorical, especially in a legal setting like this where the poor need aid.