Job 29
1 So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,
And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!
Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;
3 When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,
When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk 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 abundance, when the confidence of God was upon my tent:
5 When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.
When the Almighty was yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;
6 When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:
When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets 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 close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:
8 The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.
Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;
9 The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.
Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:
10 The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.
The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
11 And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.
For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;
12 For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, yea, that had none to help him.
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 the heart of the widow I caused to sing for joy.
14 I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.
I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.
15 I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.
Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.
16 I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.
17 I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.
And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.
18 Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.
And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.
19 For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.
My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.
20 My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.
My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”
21 Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.
Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel
22 After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.
After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].
23 And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.
And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened wide their mouth as for the latter rain.
24 If I laughed on them, they beleeued it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.
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.
I chose their way for them, and I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in his army, as one that comforteth mourners.
