Job 29
1 Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:
And Job continued and said in his parable,
2 Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?
Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!
3 When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?
As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?
[As] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
5 When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?
When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
6 When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?
when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
7 When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?
When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.
9 The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.
And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
10 The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.
And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
11 The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:
For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
12 Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper.
For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.
Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
14 I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.
Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.
15 I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.
I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
16 I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
17 I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.
And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
18 And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.
And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
19 My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.
[My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
20 My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.
My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
21 They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.
[Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
22 To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.
At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.
23 They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.
As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
24 If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.
Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
25 If I had a mind to go to them, I sat first, and when I sat as a king, with his army standing about him, yet I was a comforter of them that mourned.
I chose out their way, and sat chief, and lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.
