Job 29

1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

And Job continued and said in his parable,

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

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

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

As when his lamp shone over my head; 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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.

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

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

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

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

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 blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.

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

For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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