Job 29

1 So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,

And Job continued and said in his parable,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe 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 vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

17 I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye 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 sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25 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.

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