Job 29
1 So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,
And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: —
2 Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!
Who doth make me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God's preserving me?
3 When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,
In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.
4 As I was in the dayes of my youth: when Gods prouidence was vpon my tabernacle:
As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.
5 When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.
When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about me — my young ones,
6 When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:
When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me rivulets 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 go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
8 The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.
Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen — they stood up.
9 The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.
Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.
10 The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.
The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
11 And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.
For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth [to] me.
12 For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.
For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath 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 the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
14 I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.
Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.
15 I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.
Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.
16 I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
17 I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.
And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
18 Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.
And I say, 'With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'
19 For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.
My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.
20 My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.
My honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.
21 Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.
To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
22 After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.
After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,
23 And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.
And they wait as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide [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 laugh unto them — they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.
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 choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.
