Job 29

1 And Job again took up his measure, and said,

Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

2 Oh that it were with me as in the months of old, as in the days, when, GOD, used to watch over me;

Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

3 When his lamp shone over my head, by whose light, I could go through darkness;

When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was, in the days of my prime, when, the intimacy of GOD, was over my tent;

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

5 While yet the Almighty was with me, round about me, were my young men;

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

6 When my steps were bathed in milk, and, the rock, poured out beside me, rivulets of oil:

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

7 When I went out to the gate unto the city, in the open place, made ready my seat,

When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

8 Young men saw me, and hid themselves, and, the aged, arose—they stood;

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

9 Rulers, restrained speech, and, a hand, laid they on their mouth;

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

10 The voice of nobles, was hushed, and their tongue to their palate, did cleave;

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

11 When, the ear, heard, then it pronounced me happy, When, the eye, saw, then it bare me witness;

When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

12 Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, the fatherless also, and him that had no helper;

Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish, upon me was wont to descend, and, the heart of the widow, caused I 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 Righteousness, I put on, and it clothed me, Like a robe and turban, was my, justice;

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

15 Eyes, became I to the, blind, and, feet to the lame, was, I!

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

16 A father, was, I, to the needy, and, as for the cause which I knew not, I used to search it out;

I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

17 And I shivered the fangs of the perverse, —and, out of his teeth, I tare the prey.

And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

18 Then said I, Like a stem, shall I grow old, yea, as the sand, shall I multiply days:

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

19 My root, is laid open to the waters, and, the dew, shall lodge for the night in my boughs;

My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

20 Mine honour, shall be young again with me, and, my bow, in my hand, be renewed.

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

21 To me, men hearkened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel;

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

22 After I had spoken, they spake not again, and, upon them, used my speech to drop;

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

23 And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for 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 laughed at them—they lost confidence, and, the light of my countenance, they suffered not to fail;

If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, —and abode, as king, in an army, as one who, to mourners, giveth comfort.

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