Job 29
1 And Job again took up the word and said,
And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,
2 If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!
Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;
3 When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in darkness;
4 As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
As I was in the days of my abundance, when the confidence of God was upon my tent:
5 While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
When the Almighty was yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;
6 When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets of oil!
7 When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
When I went out to the gate close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:
8 The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;
9 The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:
10 The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.
The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
11 For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;
For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;
12 For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, yea, that had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and the heart of the widow I caused to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.
I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.
Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.
16 I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.
17 By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.
18 Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.
19 My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.
20 My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”
21 Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel
22 After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].
23 They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened wide their mouth as for the latter rain.
24 I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.
25 I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
I chose their way for them, and I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in his army, as one that comforteth mourners.
