Job 29
1 And Job continued and said in his parable,
And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: —
2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!
Who doth make me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God's preserving me?
3 As when his lamp shone over my head; 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] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.
5 When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about me — my young ones,
6 when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me rivulets of oil.
7 When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
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 all the old men stood up.
Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen — they stood up.
9 And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.
10 And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth [to] me.
12 For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.
For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.
13 Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
14 Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.
Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.
15 I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.
16 I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
17 And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
And I say, 'With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'
19 [My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
My honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.
21 [Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
22 At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.
After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,
23 As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
And they wait as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide [As] for the latter rain.
24 Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
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 lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.
I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.
