Job 29
1 Moreover, Job continued his parable, and said,
And Job adds to lift up his allegory and says:
2 Oh that I were as [in] months past, as [in] the days [when] God preserved me;
“Who makes me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God’s preserving me?
3 When his candle shined upon my head, [and when] by his light I walked [through] darkness;
In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;
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, [when] my children [were] about me;
When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Around me—my young ones,
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers 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 gate through the city, [when] I prepared my seat in the street!
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 hid themselves: and the aged arose, [and] stood up.
Youths have seen me, and they have been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid [their] hand on their mouth.
Princes have kept in words, And they place a hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
The voice of leaders has been hidden, And their tongue has cleaved to the palate.
11 When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me; and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me:
For the ear heard, and declares me blessed, And the eye has seen, and testifies [to] me.
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help him.
For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who has no helper.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and 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 judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.
I have put on righteousness, and it clothes me, My justice as a robe and a crown.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet [was] I to the lame.
I have been eyes to the blind, And I [am] feet to the lame.
16 I [was] a father to the poor: and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out.
I [am] a father to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand.
And I say, I expire with my nest, And I multiply days as the sand.
19 My root [was] spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
My root is open to the waters, And dew lodges on my branch.
20 My glory [was] fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
My glory [is] fresh with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.
21 To me [men] gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
They have listened to me, Indeed, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
22 After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
After my word they do not change, And my speech drops on them,
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide [as] 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 [If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
I laugh at them—they give no credence, And do not cause the light of my face to fall.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth the mourners.
I choose their way, and sit [as] head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When he comforts mourners.”
