Job 29
1 So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,
Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:
2 Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!
Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?
3 When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,
When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?
4 As I was in the dayes of my youth: when Gods prouidence was vpon my tabernacle:
As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?
5 When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.
When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?
6 When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:
When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?
7 When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete.
When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?
8 The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.
9 The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.
The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.
10 The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.
The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.
11 And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.
The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:
12 For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.
Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.
14 I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.
I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.
15 I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.
I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.
16 I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
17 I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.
I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.
18 Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.
And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.
19 For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.
My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.
20 My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.
My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.
21 Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.
They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.
22 After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.
To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.
23 And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.
They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.
24 If I laughed on them, they beleeued it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.
25 I appoynted out their way, and did sit as chiefe, and dwelt as a King in the army, and like him that comforteth the mourners.
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.
