Job 29
1 And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,
Job went on speaking.
2 Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;
“I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!
3 When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in darkness;
His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.
4 As I was in the days of my abundance, when the confidence of God was upon my tent:
When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;
The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
6 When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets of oil!
My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
7 When I went out to the gate close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:
I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
8 Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;
The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
9 Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:
The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
11 For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;
Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, yea, that had none to help him.
because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.
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.
Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.
14 I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.
Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
15 Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.
I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
16 A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.
I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
17 And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.
I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
18 And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.
I thought I would die at home, after many years.
19 My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.
Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
20 My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”
Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
21 Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel
People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
22 After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].
Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened wide their mouth as for the latter rain.
They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
24 I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.
When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
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 decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.
