Job 29

1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

And Job again took up the word and said,

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

If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!

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

When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.

4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was on my tabernacle;

As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;

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

While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;

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

When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.

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

When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,

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

The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;

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

The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;

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

The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.

11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;

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

For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came on me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.

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

I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.

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

I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.

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

I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.

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

By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.

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

Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;

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

My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,

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

My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.

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

Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.

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

After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;

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

They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.

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

I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.

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

I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...