Job 29

1 And Job continued his parable and said,

Job again took up his parable, and said,

2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;

3 When his lamp shone over my head, [and] by his light I walked through darkness;

when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of God was over my tent,

as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,

5 When the Almighty was yet with me, my young men round about me;

when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,

6 When my steps were bathed in milk, and the rock poured out beside me rivers of oil! ...

when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

7 When I went out to the gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway,

when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.

8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged arose [and] stood up;

The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.

9 Princes refrained from talking, and laid the hand on their mouth;

The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.

The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11 When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me, and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me;

For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,

12 For I delivered the afflicted that cried, and the fatherless who had no helper.

because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,

13 The blessing of him that was perishing came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was as a mantle and a turban.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame;

I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

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

I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I did not know.

17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18 And I said, I shall die in my nest, and multiply my days as the sand;

Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.

19 My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch;

My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

20 My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow be renewed in my hand.

My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel:

“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.

22 After my words they spoke not again, and my speech dropped upon them;

After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.

23 And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

24 [If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and they troubled not the serenity of my countenance.

I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.

25 I chose their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth mourners.

I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.