Job 29
1 Job went on speaking.
Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 “I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!
“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.
when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.
as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
5 The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
6 My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
7 I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
8 The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
9 The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
12 because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.
because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
13 Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow 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 Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
16 I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 I thought I would die at home, after many years.
Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
19 Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.
After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.
23 They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.
25 I decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.
I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
