Job 29

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

Job resumed speaking and said,

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 I was in the past months when God cared for me,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, the fatherless also, and him that 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 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 who was about to perish came on me; I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 abode, as king, in an army, as one who, to mourners, giveth comfort.

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