29
1 Job
again took up
his parable,
and said,
2 “Oh
that I were
as in the
months of old,
as in the
days when God
watched over me;
3 when
his lamp shone
on my head,
and by his
light I walked
through darkness,
4 as
I was in
my prime,
when the
friendship of God
was in my tent,
5 when
the Almighty was
yet with me,
and my children
were around me,
6 when my
steps were washed
with butter,
and the rock
poured out streams
of oil for
me,
7 when
I went out
to the city
gate,
when I prepared
my seat in
the street.
8 The
young men saw
me and hid
themselves.
The aged rose
up and stood.
9 The
princes refrained
from talking,
and laid their
hand on their
mouth.
10 The
voice of the
nobles was hushed,
and their tongue
stuck to the
roof of their
mouth.
11 For
when the ear
heard me, then
it blessed me,
and when the
eye saw me,
it commended me,
12 because
I delivered the
poor who cried,
and the
fatherless also,
who had no
one to help
him,
13 the
blessing of him who
was ready to perish came
on me,
and I caused
the widow’s heart
to sing for
joy.
14 I put
on righteousness,
and it clothed
me.
My justice was
as a robe
and a diadem.
15 I
was eyes to
the blind,
and feet to
the lame.
16 I
was a father to
the needy.
I researched the
cause of him whom
I didn’t know.
17 I
broke the jaws
of the unrighteous
and plucked the
prey out of
his teeth.
18 Then
I said, ‘I will
die in my
own house,
I will count my
days as the
sand.
19 My
root is spread
out to the
waters.
The dew lies
all night on
my branch.
20 My
glory is fresh
in me.
My bow is
renewed in my
hand.’
21 “Men
listened to me,
waited,
and kept silence
for my counsel.
22 After
my words
they didn’t speak
again.
My speech fell
on them.
23 They
waited for me as
for the rain.
Their mouths drank
as with the
spring rain.
24 I
smiled on them
when they had
no confidence.
They didn’t reject the light
of my face.
25 I chose
out their way,
and sat as
chief.
I lived as
a king in
the army,
as one who
comforts the mourners.