Job 29

1 Job spoke again,

And he repeated Job to take up discourse his and he said.

2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.

Who? will he give me like months of long ago like [the] days [when] God he watched over me.

3 During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.

When made shine he lamp his over head my to light his I walked darkness.

4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.

Just as I was in [the] days of prime my in [the] intimacy of God on tent my.

5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.

While still [the] Almighty [was] with me [were] around me lads my.

6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.

When bathed steps my in curd and a rock it poured out beside me streams of oil.

7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,

When went out I [the] gate on [the] town in the public square I prepared seat my.

8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].

They saw me young men and they hid themselves and old [men] they rose they stood.

9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],

Chiefs they restrained words and a hand they put to mouth their.

10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].

[the] voice of Nobles they were hidden and tongue their to palate their it stuck.

11 When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,

For an ear it heard and it called blessed me and an eye it saw and it bore witness to me.

12 because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.

That I rescued [the] afflicted [who] cried for help and [the] fatherless and [the one whom] not a helper [belonged] to him.

13 Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].

[the] blessing of [one] about to perish On me it came and [the] heart of a widow I made sing for joy.

14 I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].

Righteousness I put on and it clothed me [was] like a robe and a turban justice my.

15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.

Eyes I was to the blind and [was] feet to the lame I.

16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.

[was] a father I to the needy [people] and a case at law of [the one whom] not I knew I investigated it.

17 My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.

And I broke! [the] jaws of [the] unrighteous and from teeth his I threw [the] prey.

18 “At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’

And I said with nest my I will expire and like sand I will increase days.

19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.

Root my [is] opened to water and dew it will remain overnight on branch[es] my.

20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.

Honor my [is] new with me and bow my in hand my it will show newness.

21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].

To me people listened and they waited and they may be silent for counsel my.

22 After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].

After word my not they repeated and on them it dropped speech my.

23 They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].

And they waited like the rain for me and mouth their they opened wide for spring rain.

24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.

I laughed to them not they believed and [the] light of face my not they made fall!

25 I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”

I chose way their so I may sit [as] chief so I may dwell like a king among the troop[s] just as mourners someone comforts.