< Job 29 >

1 Job resumed speaking and said,
And Job adds to lift up his allegory and says:
2 “Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,
“Who makes me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God’s preserving me?
3 when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [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 I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God on my tent.
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Around me—my young ones,
6 when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me—streams of oil.
7 When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
8 the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
Youths have seen me, and they have been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up.
9 The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
Princes have kept in words, And they place a hand on their mouth.
10 The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
The voice of leaders has been hidden, And their tongue has cleaved to the palate.
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 declares me blessed, And the eye has seen, and testifies [to] me.
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 deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who has 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.
The blessing of the perishing comes on me, And I cause the heart of the widow to sing.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
I have put on righteousness, and it clothes me, My justice as a robe and a crown.
15 I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
I have been eyes to the blind, And I [am] feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
I [am] a father to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.
And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
18 Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
And I say, I expire with my nest, And I multiply days as the sand.
19 My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
My root is open to the waters, And dew lodges on my branch.
20 The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
My glory [is] fresh with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.
21 To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
They have listened to me, Indeed, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
22 After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.
After my word they do not change, And my speech drops on 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.
And they wait for me as [for] rain, And they have opened wide their mouth [As] for the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.
I laugh at them—they give no credence, And do not cause the light of my face to fall.
25 I selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.
I choose their way, and sit [as] head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When he comforts mourners.”

< Job 29 >