Job 29

1 And Job continued and said in his parable,

And Job again took up his measure, and said,

2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!

Oh that it were with me as in the months of old, as in the days, when, GOD, used to watch over me;

3 As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.

When his lamp shone over my head, by whose light, I could go through darkness;

4 [As] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.

As I was, in the days of my prime, when, the intimacy of GOD, was over my tent;

5 When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;

While yet the Almighty was with me, round about me, were my young men;

6 when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.

When my steps were bathed in milk, and, the rock, poured out beside me, rivulets of oil:

7 When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.

When I went out to the gate unto the city, in the open place, made ready my seat,

8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.

Young men saw me, and hid themselves, and, the aged, arose—they stood;

9 And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.

Rulers, restrained speech, and, a hand, laid they on their mouth;

10 And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.

The voice of nobles, was hushed, and their tongue to their palate, did cleave;

11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.

When, the ear, heard, then it pronounced me happy, When, the eye, saw, then it bare me witness;

12 For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.

Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, the fatherless also, and him that had no helper;

13 Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.

The blessing of him that was ready to perish, upon me was wont to descend, and, the heart of the widow, caused I to sing for joy;

14 Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgement like a mantle.

Righteousness, I put on, and it clothed me, Like a robe and turban, was my, justice;

15 I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.

Eyes, became I to the, blind, and, feet to the lame, was, I!

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

A father, was, I, to the needy, and, as for the cause which I knew not, I used to search it out;

17 And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.

And I shivered the fangs of the perverse, —and, out of his teeth, I tare the prey.

18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.

Then said I, Like a stem, shall I grow old, yea, as the sand, shall I multiply days:

19 [My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.

My root, is laid open to the waters, and, the dew, shall lodge for the night in my boughs;

20 My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.

Mine honour, shall be young again with me, and, my bow, in my hand, be renewed.

21 [Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.

To me, men hearkened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel;

22 At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.

After I had spoken, they spake not again, and, upon them, used my speech to drop;

23 As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.

And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;

24 Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.

I laughed at them—they lost confidence, and, the light of my countenance, they suffered not to fail;

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.

I chose out their way, and sat chief, —and abode, as king, in an army, as one who, to mourners, giveth comfort.