Job 29

1 And Job again took up his measure, and said,

So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,

2 Oh that it were with me as in the months of old, as in the days, when, GOD, used to watch over me;

Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!

3 When his lamp shone over my head, by whose light, I could go through darkness;

When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,

4 As I was, in the days of my prime, when, the intimacy of GOD, was over my tent;

As I was in the dayes of my youth: when Gods prouidence was vpon my tabernacle:

5 While yet the Almighty was with me, round about me, were my young men;

When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.

6 When my steps were bathed in milk, and, the rock, poured out beside me, rivulets of oil:

When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:

7 When I went out to the gate unto the city, in the open place, made ready my seat,

When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete.

8 Young men saw me, and hid themselves, and, the aged, arose—they stood;

The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.

9 Rulers, restrained speech, and, a hand, laid they on their mouth;

The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.

10 The voice of nobles, was hushed, and their tongue to their palate, did cleave;

The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.

11 When, the ear, heard, then it pronounced me happy, When, the eye, saw, then it bare me witness;

And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.

12 Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, the fatherless also, and him that had no helper;

For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish, upon me was wont to descend, and, the heart of the widow, caused I to sing for joy;

The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.

14 Righteousness, I put on, and it clothed me, Like a robe and turban, was my, justice;

I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.

15 Eyes, became I to the, blind, and, feet to the lame, was, I!

I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.

16 A father, was, I, to the needy, and, as for the cause which I knew not, I used to search it out;

I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.

17 And I shivered the fangs of the perverse, —and, out of his teeth, I tare the prey.

I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.

18 Then said I, Like a stem, shall I grow old, yea, as the sand, shall I multiply days:

Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.

19 My root, is laid open to the waters, and, the dew, shall lodge for the night in my boughs;

For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.

20 Mine honour, shall be young again with me, and, my bow, in my hand, be renewed.

My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.

21 To me, men hearkened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel;

Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.

22 After I had spoken, they spake not again, and, upon them, used my speech to drop;

After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.

23 And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;

And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.

24 I laughed at them—they lost confidence, and, the light of my countenance, they suffered not to fail;

If I laughed on them, they beleeued it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, —and abode, as king, in an army, as one who, to mourners, giveth comfort.

I appoynted out their way, and did sit as chiefe, and dwelt as a King in the army, and like him that comforteth the mourners.