Job 29
1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:
2 Oh that I were as [in] months past, as [in] the days [when] God preserved me;
Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?
3 When his candle shined upon my head, [and when] by his light I walked [through] darkness;
When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;
As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?
5 When the Almighty [was] yet with me, [when] my children [were] about me;
When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, [when] I prepared my seat in the street!
When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, [and] stood up.
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid [their] hand on their mouth.
The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.
11 When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me; and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me:
The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help him.
Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had 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 him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.
I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet [was] I to the lame.
I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.
16 I [was] a father to the poor: and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out.
I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand.
And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.
19 My root [was] spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.
20 My glory [was] fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.
21 Unto me [men] gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.
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 as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.
24 [If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth the mourners.
If I had a mind to go to them, I sat first, and when I sat as a king, with his army standing about him, yet I was a comforter of them that mourned.
