Job 29

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

Job spoke again,

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

“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.

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

During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.

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

At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.

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

Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.

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

[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.

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

“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,

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

and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].

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

The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],

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

and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].

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

When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,

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

because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else 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 suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].

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

I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].

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

[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.

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

I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.

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

My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.

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

“At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’

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

I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.

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

People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.

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

“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].

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

After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].

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 [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].

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

When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of 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 was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”