Job 29
1 Job resumed speaking and said,
And Job continued and said in his parable,
2 “Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,
Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!
3 when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.
4 Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on my tent,
[As] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
6 when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
7 When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
8 the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.
9 The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
10 The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
11 For after their ears heard me, they would then bless me; after their eyes saw me, they would then give witness to me and approve of me
For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
12 because I rescued the one who was poor when he cried out, and the one who had no father when he had no one to help him.
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 who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.
15 I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
16 I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.
And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
18 Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
19 My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
[My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
20 The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
21 To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
[Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
22 After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.
At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.
23 They always waited for me as they waited for rain; they opened their mouth wide to drink in my words, as they would do for the latter rain.
As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
24 I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.
Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
25 I selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.
I chose out their way, and sat chief, and lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.
