Job 29

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

Job again took up 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 the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;

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

when his lamp shone on my head, and 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 ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was in my tent,

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

when Shaddai was yet with me, and my children were around me,

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

when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

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

when I went forth to the city gate, 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. The aged rose up and stood.

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

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

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

The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck 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;

For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended 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 who cried, and the fatherless also, who 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 who was ready to perish came on 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 justice 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 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 needy. The cause of him who I did not know, I searched out.

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

I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey 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 own house, I shall number 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 is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

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

My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.'

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

"Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.

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

After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.

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

They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

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

I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.

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 as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.