Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
And Job continued his discourse:
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,
For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 “At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
