Job 29

1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:

And Job again took up his parable, and said:

2 O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;

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

3 When his lamp shined over my head, And when by his light I walked through darkness!

When His lamp shined above my head, and by His light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;

As I was in the days of my youth, when the converse of God was upon my tent;

5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;

When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were about me;

6 When I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out rivers of oil!

When my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil!

7 When I went forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,

When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place,

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose and stood.

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

9 The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth.

The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth;

10 The nobles held their peace, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

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

11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.

For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me;

12 For I delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who had none to help him.

Because I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless also, that had none to help 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 upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

14 I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and diadem.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; my justice was as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame;

I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I 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 to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

17 And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.

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

18 Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall multiply my days as the sand.

Then I said: 'I shall die with my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the phoenix;

19 My root is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.

My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew shall lie all night upon my branch;

20 My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength in my hand.”

My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in my hand.'

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

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

22 To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon them.

After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

23 Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.

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

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 believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

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 chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.