Job 29

1 And Job adds to lift up his allegory and says:

2 “Who makes me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God’s preserving me?

3 In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.

4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God on my tent.

5 When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Around me—my young ones,

6 When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me—streams of oil.

7 When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

8 Youths have seen me, and they have been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up.

9 Princes have kept in words, And they place a hand on their mouth.

10 The voice of leaders has been hidden, And their tongue has cleaved to the palate.

11 For the ear heard, and declares me blessed, And the eye has seen, and testifies [to] me.

12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who has no helper.

13 The blessing of the perishing comes on me, And I cause the heart of the widow to sing.

14 I have put on righteousness, and it clothes me, My justice as a robe and a crown.

15 I have been eyes to the blind, And I [am] feet to the lame.

16 I [am] a father to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

18 And I say, I expire with my nest, And I multiply days as the sand.

19 My root is open to the waters, And dew lodges on my branch.

20 My glory [is] fresh with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.

21 They have listened to me, Indeed, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

22 After my word they do not change, And my speech drops on them,

23 And they wait for me as [for] rain, And they have opened wide their mouth [As] for the spring rain.

24 I laugh at them—they give no credence, And do not cause the light of my face to fall.

25 I choose their way, and sit [as] head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When he comforts mourners.”