Job 29

1 And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,

And Job again took up the word and said,

2 Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;

If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!

3 When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in darkness;

When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.

4 As I was in the days of my abundance, when the confidence of God was upon my tent:

As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;

5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;

While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;

6 When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets of oil!

When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.

7 When I went out to the gate close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:

When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,

8 Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;

The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;

9 Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:

The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;

10 The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.

The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.

11 For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;

For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;

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

For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.

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

The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.

14 I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.

I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.

15 Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.

16 A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.

I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.

17 And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.

By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.

18 And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.

Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;

19 My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.

My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,

20 My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”

My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.

21 Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel

Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.

22 After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].

After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;

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

They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.

24 I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.

I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.

25 I chose their way for them, and I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in his army, as one that comforteth mourners.

I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...