Job 29

1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Job spoke again,

2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.

3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.

4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the friendship and counsel of God was upon my tabernacle;

At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.

5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.

6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.

7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,

8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.

and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].

9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],

10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].

11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,

12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.

16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.

17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.

18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

“At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’

19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.

20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.

21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].

22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].

23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].

24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king among his troops, as one that comforteth the mourners.

I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”