Job 29
1 And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,
Job resumed speaking and said,
2 Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;
“Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,
3 When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in darkness;
when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
4 As I was in the days of my abundance, when the confidence of God was upon my tent:
Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on my tent,
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
6 When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets of oil!
when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
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 to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
8 Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;
the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
9 Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:
The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
10 The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
11 For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;
For after their ears heard me, they would then bless me; after their eyes saw me, they would then give witness to me and approve of me
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, yea, that had none to help him.
because I rescued the one who was poor when he cried out, and the one who had no father when he had no one to help him.
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 about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
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, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.
I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
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 needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
17 And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his 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.
Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
19 My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.
My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
20 My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”
The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
21 Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel
To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
22 After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].
After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened wide their mouth as for the latter rain.
They always waited for me as they waited for rain; they opened their mouth wide to drink in my words, as they would do for the latter rain.
24 I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.
I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.
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 selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.
