Job 29
1 And Job continued and said in his parable,
Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!
"Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.
when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 [As] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
5 When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
when Shaddai was yet with me, and my children were around me,
6 when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
7 When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
when I went forth to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.
The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
9 And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
12 For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.
Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had none to help him,
13 Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
16 I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I did not know, I searched out.
17 And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand.
19 [My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.'
21 [Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
"Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.
After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.
23 As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.
I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
