Job 29
1 And Job again took up his parable, and said:
So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,
2 Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!
3 When His lamp shined above my head, and by His light I walked through darkness;
When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the converse of God was upon my tent;
As I was in the dayes of my youth: when Gods prouidence was vpon my tabernacle:
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were about me;
When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.
6 When my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil!
When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:
7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place,
When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete.
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood;
The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth;
The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me;
And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless also, that had none to help him.
For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; my justice was as a robe and a diadem.
I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.
18 Then I said: 'I shall die with my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the phoenix;
Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.
19 My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew shall lie all night upon my branch;
For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.
20 My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in my hand.'
My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.
22 After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
If I laughed on them, they beleeued it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
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.
