Job 29

1 Job spoke again,

Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:

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

O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;

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 shined over my head, And when 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 autumn of my days, When the friendship 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, 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 I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out 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 forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,

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.

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

The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth.

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

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

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 poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who had none to help him.

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 ready to perish came upon me, And I caused the heart of the widow 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 clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and diadem.

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 poor, And the cause of him 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 teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.

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].’

Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall 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 is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.

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

My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength 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].

To me men gave ear, 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].

To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down 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].

Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths 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 smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.

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.”

When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.