Job 29

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

And Job continued and said in his parable,

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, wherein God preserved me!

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

As when his lamp shone over my head; 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] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.

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

When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;

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

when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.

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

When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.

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

The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.

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

And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.

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

And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.

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

For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.

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

For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.

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;

Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.

14 Righteousness, I put on, and it clothed me, Like a robe and turban, was my, justice;

Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.

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

I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of 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 the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.

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

And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.

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

And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.

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 water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.

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

My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.

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

[Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.

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

At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.

23 And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;

As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.

24 I laughed at them—they lost confidence, and, the light of my countenance, they suffered not to fail;

Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.

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 lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.