Job 29

1 And Job continued and said in his parable,

And Job again took up the word and said,

2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein 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 As when his lamp shone over my head; 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] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 all the old men stood up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

17 And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their 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 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.

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 water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.

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 by bow prospered in his hand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.

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