Job 29
1 Job again took up his parable, and said,
Job went on speaking.
2 "Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
“I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!
3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.
4 as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.
5 when Shaddai was yet with me, and my children were around me,
The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
7 when I went forth to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
12 Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who 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 who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I did not know, I searched out.
I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
18 Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand.
I thought I would die at home, after many years.
19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.'
Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
21 "Men listened to me, waited, and kept 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 did not speak again. My speech fell on them.
Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.
23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.
When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
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 decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.
