Job 29

1 Job again took up his parable, and said,

And Job again took up his discourse, and said,

2 "Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;

O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,

3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

4 as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was in my tent,

as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was upon my tent,

5 when Shaddai was yet with me, and my children were around me,

when the Almighty was yet with me, and my sons were about me,

6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil to me,

7 when I went forth to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.

when I went forth to the gate to the city, when I prepared my seat in the street.

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.

The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood.

9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

The rulers refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

The voice of the ranking men was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:

For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.

12 Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had none to help him,

Because I delivered the poor who cried, also the fatherless who had none to help him.

13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

The blessing of him who was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame.

16 I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I did not know, I searched out.

I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the case of him whom I did not know.

17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18 Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand.

Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

My root is spread out to the waters, and the dew lays all night upon my branch.

20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.'

My glory is fresh in me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.

21 "Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.

To me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.

22 After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.

After my words they spoke not again, and my speech distilled upon them.

23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

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

24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.

I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and they did not cast down the light of my countenance.

25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.

I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as a man who comforts the mourners.