Job 29

And Job continued to take up his discourse, and he said, 2 “Who will give me {to be} as {in} the months of the past, as {in} the days {when} God was keeping me, 3 when his lamp shone over my head, {when} I walked {in} darkness by his light, \* 4 as that I was in the days of my prime, when the friendship of God {was} upon my tent, 5 when the Almighty {was} still with me, my children around me, 6 when my steps were bathed in butter and the rock poured out streams of oil for me! \* 7 When I went out to the gate of the city, {when} I took my seat in the square, 8 young men saw me and hid themselves, and old men rose, they stood. \* 9 The princes refrained from words, and they put a hand on their mouth. 10 The voice of the nobles—they were hushed, and their tongue stuck to their palate. \* 11 For the ear heard, and they blessed me, and the eye saw, and they attested me 12 because I rescued the afflicted crying out and the fatherless when {there was} no help to him. 13 The blessing of the one perishing came upon me, and I gladdened the heart of the widow. \* 14 I clothed myself {with} righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice {was} like a robe and a turban. 15 I was eyes to the blind, and I {was} feet to the lame. 16 I {was} a father to the needy, and the case {that} I did not know, I examined it. \* 17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and I made the prey drop from his teeth. 18 And I said, ‘I will expire in my nest, and I will multiply days like sand. 19 My root is spread out to the waters, and the dew lodges on my branch. \* 20 My glory {is} fresh in me, and my bow sprouts in my hand.’ 21 They listened to me and they waited, and they kept silent for my counsel. 22 After my word, they did not also {speak}, for my speech dripped on them. \* 23 And they waited for me as {for} rain, and they opened their mouth {as} for the latter rain. 24 I smiled on them {when} they did not believe, and they did not cause the light of my face to fall. \* 25 I chose their way and I sat as a chief, and I dwelt like a king in an army, as when one comforts mourners. \*