Job 29

1 And Job again took up the word and said,

And Job adds to lift up his allegory and says:

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 makes me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God’s preserving me?

3 When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.

In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.

4 As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;

As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God on my tent.

5 While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;

When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Around me—my young ones,

6 When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.

When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me—streams 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 go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

8 The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;

Youths have seen me, and they have been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up.

9 The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;

Princes have kept in words, And they place a 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 leaders has been hidden, And their tongue has cleaved to the 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 heard, and declares me blessed, And the eye has seen, and testifies [to] 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.

For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who has no helper.

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 the perishing comes on me, And I cause the heart of the widow to sing.

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 have put on righteousness, and it clothes me, My justice as a robe and a crown.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.

I have been eyes to the blind, And I [am] feet to the lame.

16 I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.

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

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 break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away 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 say, I expire with my nest, And I multiply days as the sand.

19 My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,

My root is open to the waters, And dew lodges on my branch.

20 My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.

My glory [is] fresh with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.

21 Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.

They have listened to me, Indeed, they wait, and are silent 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 word they do not change, And my speech drops on them,

23 They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.

And they wait for me as [for] rain, And they have opened wide their mouth [As] for the spring 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 laugh at them—they give no credence, And do not cause the light of my face to fall.

25 I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...

I choose their way, and sit [as] head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When he comforts mourners.”