Job 29

1 Job spoke again,

And Job continued his parable and said,

2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.

Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved 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 over my head, [and] by his light I walked through darkness;

4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of God was over my tent,

5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.

When the Almighty was yet with me, my young men round about 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 milk, and the rock poured out beside me rivers 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 gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway,

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 hid themselves; and the aged arose [and] stood up;

9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],

Princes refrained from talking, and laid the hand on their mouth;

10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].

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

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,

When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me, and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to 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.

For I delivered the afflicted that cried, 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 blessing of him that was perishing came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to 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; my justice was as a mantle and a turban.

15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I 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 the cause which I knew not I searched out;

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.

And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the spoil out of 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].’

And I said, I shall 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 root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch;

20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.

My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow be 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].

Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence 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 not again, and my speech dropped upon them;

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].

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

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 laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and they troubled not the serenity of my countenance.

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