Job 29
1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,
2 O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;
Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!
3 When his lamp shined over my head, And when by his light I walked through darkness!
When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,
4 As I was in the autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;
As I was in the dayes of my youth: when Gods prouidence was vpon my tabernacle:
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;
When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.
6 When I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out rivers of oil!
When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:
7 When I went forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,
When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete.
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose and stood.
The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.
9 The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth.
The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.
And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.
12 For I delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who had none to help him.
For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, And I caused the heart of the widow to sing for joy.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.
14 I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and diadem.
I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.
15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame;
I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor, And the cause of him I knew not I searched out;
I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
17 And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.
I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.
18 Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall multiply my days as the sand.
Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.
19 My root is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.
For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.
20 My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength in my hand.”
My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.
21 To me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.
22 To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon them.
After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.
23 Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.
And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.
24 If I smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
If I laughed on them, they beleeued it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
25 When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.
I appoynted out their way, and did sit as chiefe, and dwelt as a King in the army, and like him that comforteth the mourners.
