Job 29

1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Job resumed speaking and said,

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

“Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for me,

3 When his candle shined upon my head, [and when] by his light I walked [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 youth, when the secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;

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

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

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

6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers 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 through the city, [when] I prepared my seat in the street!

When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,

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

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

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

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

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

The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof 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 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 delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help him.

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 came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart 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 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21 Unto me [men] gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

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

22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

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

23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter 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 [If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

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 dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth the mourners.

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