Job 29

1 And Job continued and said in his parable,

Job resumed speaking and said,

2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!

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

3 As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.

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

4 [As] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.

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

5 When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;

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

6 when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.

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

7 When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.

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 hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.

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

9 And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.

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

10 And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.

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

11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.

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 saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.

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 Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.

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

14 Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgement like a mantle.

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

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

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

16 I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.

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

17 And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.

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

18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.

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

19 [My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.

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

20 My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.

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

21 [Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.

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

22 At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.

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

23 As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.

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 Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.

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

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.

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