| 29:1 |
Job again took up his parable, and said, |
| 29:2 |
"Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me; |
| 29:3 |
when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, |
| 29:4 |
as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was in my tent, |
| 29:5 |
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me, |
| 29:6 |
when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me, |
| 29:7 |
when I went forth to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street. |
| 29:8 |
The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood. |
| 29:9 |
The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. |
| 29:10 |
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. |
| 29:11 |
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me: |
| 29:12 |
Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had none to help him, |
| 29:13 |
the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. |
| 29:14 |
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem. |
| 29:15 |
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. |
| 29:16 |
I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn't know, I searched out. |
| 29:17 |
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth. |
| 29:18 |
Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand. |
| 29:19 |
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch. |
| 29:20 |
My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.' |
| 29:21 |
"Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel. |
| 29:22 |
After my words they didn't speak again. My speech fell on them. |
| 29:23 |
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain. |
| 29:24 |
I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn't reject the light of my face. |
| 29:25 |
I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners. |
