Job 29
1 Job went on speaking.
And Job again took up his measure, and said,
2 “I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after 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 His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.
When his lamp shone over my head, by whose light, I could go 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 prime, when, the intimacy of GOD, was over my tent;
5 The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
While yet the Almighty was with me, round about me, were my young men;
6 My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
When my steps were bathed in milk, and, the rock, poured out beside me, rivulets of oil:
7 I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
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 moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
Young men saw me, and hid themselves, and, the aged, arose—they stood;
9 The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
Rulers, restrained speech, and, a hand, laid they on their mouth;
10 The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
The voice of nobles, was hushed, and their tongue to their palate, did cleave;
11 Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
When, the ear, heard, then it pronounced me happy, When, the eye, saw, then it bare me witness;
12 because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.
Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, the fatherless also, and him that had no helper;
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, upon me was wont to descend, and, the heart of the widow, caused I to sing for joy;
14 Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
Righteousness, I put on, and it clothed me, Like a robe and turban, was my, justice;
15 I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
Eyes, became I to the, blind, and, feet to the lame, was, I!
16 I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
A father, was, I, to the needy, and, as for the cause which I knew not, I used to search it out;
17 I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
And I shivered the fangs of the perverse, —and, out of his teeth, I tare the prey.
18 I thought I would die at home, after many years.
Then said I, Like a stem, shall I grow old, yea, as the sand, shall I multiply days:
19 Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
My root, is laid open to the waters, and, the dew, shall lodge for the night in my boughs;
20 Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
Mine honour, shall be young again with me, and, my bow, in my hand, be renewed.
21 People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
To me, men hearkened, 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 I had spoken, they spake not again, and, upon them, used my speech to drop;
23 They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;
24 When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
I laughed at them—they lost confidence, and, the light of my countenance, they suffered not to fail;
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 chief, —and abode, as king, in an army, as one who, to mourners, giveth comfort.
