Job 29
1 MOREOVER Job continued his parable, and said,
And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: —
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
Who doth make me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God's preserving me?
3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about me — my young ones,
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me rivulets of oil.
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen — they stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth [to] me.
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help 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 upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
And I say, 'With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'
19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
My honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
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 believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
I laugh unto them — they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one 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.
