Job 29

1 Job went on speaking.

Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said:

2 “I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!

Who will grant to me that I might be as I was in former months, according to the days when God kept watch over me?

3 His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.

At that time, his lamp shined over my head, and by his light, I walked through the darkness.

4 When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.

I was then just as in the days of my youth, when God was privately in my tabernacle.

5 The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.

At that time, the Almighty was with me and my children surrounded me.

6 My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.

Then, I washed my feet with butter, and a boulder poured out rivers of oil for me.

7 I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.

When I went to the gate of the city, or to the main street, they prepared a chair for me.

8 The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.

The youths saw me and hid themselves, and the elders, rising up, remained standing.

9 The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.

The leaders stopped talking, and they placed a finder over their mouth.

10 The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.

The commanders subdued their voice, and their tongue adhered to their throat.

11 Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,

The ear that heard me, blessed me, and the eye that saw me, gave testimony for me.

12 because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.

This was because I had freed the poor, who cried out, and the orphan, who had no helper.

13 Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.

The blessing of him who would have been destroyed came upon me, and I consoled the heart of the widow.

14 Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.

I put on justice, and I clothed myself with my judgment, like a robe and a diadem.

15 I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.

I was an eye for the blind and a foot for the lame.

16 I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.

I was the father of the poor; and if I lacked knowledge about any case, I investigated very diligently.

17 I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.

I crushed the jaws of the impious, and I took away prey from his teeth.

18 I thought I would die at home, after many years.

And I said, “I will die in my little nest, and like a palm tree, I will multiply my days.

19 Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.

My root has been spread beside the waters, and the dew will remain with my harvest.

20 Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.

My glory will always be restored, and my bow will be restored to my hand.”

21 People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.

Those who heard me, expected vindication, and they listened closely in silence to my counsel.

22 Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.

To my words, they dared to add nothing, and my eloquence poured over them.

23 They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.

They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for belated rains.

24 When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.

If I had ever laughed at them, they would not have believed it, and the light of my face was not cast down towards the ground.

25 I decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.

If I wished to go to them, I sat down first, and, though I sat like a king surrounded by an army, yet I was a comforter to those who mourned.