Job 29

1 And Job continued his discourse:

2 “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,

3 when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,

4 when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,

5 when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,

6 when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,

8 the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.

9 The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.

10 The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

11 For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,

12 because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.

13 The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.

15 I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.

16 I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.

17 I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.

18 So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.

19 My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.

20 My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.

22 After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.

23 They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.

24 If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.

25 I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.

1 ¶ Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

2 Oh that I were as [in] months past, as [in] the days [when] God preserved me;

3 When his candle shined upon my head, [and when] by his light I walked [through] darkness;

4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;

5 When the Almighty [was] yet with me, [when] my children [were] about me;

6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

7 ¶ When I went out to the gate through the city, [when] I prepared my seat in the street!

8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, [and] stood up.

9 The princes refrained talking, and laid [their] hand on their mouth.

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

11 When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me; and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me:

12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help him.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet [was] I to the lame.

16 I [was] a father to the poor: and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out.

17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

18 ¶ Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand.

19 My root [was] spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

20 My glory [was] fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

21 Unto me [men] gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain.

24 [If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth the mourners.

1 And Job lifted up his proverbs again, and said:

2 That I might be as in the former moons, in the days when God kept me,

3 When his lamp shined upon my head, and I walked by his light in darkness;

4 As I was in the days of my youth, when God's secret was over my tabernacle;

5 While the Almighty was yet with me, and my children about me;

6 When I washed my steps in butter, and the rocks poured me rivers of oil;

7 And I went out unto the gate of the city, and made ready my seat in the street;

8 When the young men saw me, and hid themselves, and the old men were ashamed before me;

9 When the princes ceased to speak, and laid their hand upon their mouth;

10 When the voice of the princes was hid, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

11 For every ear that heard me blessed me, and every eye that saw me glorified me.

12 For I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless that had no helper.

13 The blessing of him that should destroy came upon me; and I rejoiced the heart of the widow.

14 Righteousness was my garment, which I put on like a skirt; and my right was my princely hat.

15 I was the eye of the blind, and the feet of the lame.

16 I was a father of the poor: and what things I knew not, them I searched out.

17 I brake the molars of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. 18, I thought: I will die in my nest, and make my days much as the sand.

19 My seed came up by the waters; and the dew remained upon my harvest.

20 My glory was always renewed in me; and my bow was improved in my hand.

21 They hearkened unto me, and held their peace, and waited for my counsel.

22 After my words no man spake any more; and my speech dripped upon them.

23 They waited for me as for the rain, and opened their mouths as after the evening rain.

24 When I laughed at them, they became not bold upon it, and the light of my countenance made me no less.

25 When I came to their business, I sat on high, and dwelt as a king among the soldiers, comforting them that were in pain.