Job 29

1 And Job again took up the word and said,

Job resumed speaking and said,

2 If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!

“Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,

3 When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.

when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.

4 As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;

Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on my tent,

5 While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;

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

6 When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.

when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,

When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,

8 The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;

the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.

9 The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;

The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.

10 The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.

The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.

11 For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;

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

12 For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.

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.

13 The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.

The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.

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

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.

I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.

16 I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.

I was a father to needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.

17 By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.

I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.

18 Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;

Then I said, 'I will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.

19 My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,

My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.

20 My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.

The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'

21 Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.

To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.

22 After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;

After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water on them.

23 They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.

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.

24 I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.

I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.

25 I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...

I selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.