Job 29
1 Job went on speaking.
And 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 shined above 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 the days of my youth, when the converse of God was upon 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 about 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 me out rivers of oil!
7 I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place,
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, and the aged rose up and stood;
9 The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
The princes refrained 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 cleaved 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 gave witness unto 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 that cried, the fatherless also, that had none to help him.
13 Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon 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 itself with 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 was I 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; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
17 I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
And 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 shall die with my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the phoenix;
19 Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew shall lie all night upon my branch;
20 Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in my hand.'
21 People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
Unto me men gave ear, and 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 spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
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, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
