Job 29

1 And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: —

And Job adds to lift up his allegory and says:

2 Who doth make me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God's preserving me?

“Who makes me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God’s preserving me?

3 In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.

In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.

4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.

As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God on my tent.

5 When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about me — my young ones,

When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Around me—my young ones,

6 When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me rivulets of oil.

When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me—streams of oil.

7 When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

8 Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen — they stood up.

Youths have seen me, and they have been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up.

9 Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.

Princes have kept in words, And they place a hand on their mouth.

10 The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.

The voice of leaders has been hidden, And their tongue has cleaved to the palate.

11 For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth [to] me.

For the ear heard, and declares me blessed, And the eye has seen, and testifies [to] me.

12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.

For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who has no helper.

13 The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.

The blessing of the perishing comes on me, And I cause the heart of the widow to sing.

14 Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.

I have put on righteousness, and it clothes me, My justice as a robe and a crown.

15 Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.

I have been eyes to the blind, And I [am] feet to the lame.

16 A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

I [am] a father to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

18 And I say, 'With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'

And I say, I expire with my nest, And I multiply days as the sand.

19 My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.

My root is open to the waters, And dew lodges on my branch.

20 My honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.

My glory [is] fresh with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.

21 To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

They have listened to me, Indeed, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

22 After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,

After my word they do not change, And my speech drops on them,

23 And they wait as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened 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 I laugh unto them — they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.

I laugh at them—they give no credence, And do not cause the light of my face to fall.

25 I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.

I choose their way, and sit [as] head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When he comforts mourners.”