Job 29

1 Job resumed speaking and said,

And Job again took up the word and said,

2 “Oh, that I were as I was in the past months when God cared for 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 lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.

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

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

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, and my children were around me,

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

6 when my way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams 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 city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,

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

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

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

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

10 The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.

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

11 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

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 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.

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 who was about to perish came on me; 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 justice was like a robe and a turban.

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 blind people; I was feet to lame people.

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

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

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

17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man; I plucked the victim out from between 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 will die in my nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of 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 roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

23 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.

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

24 I smiled on them when they did not expect it; they did not reject the light of my face.

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

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

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