Job 29

1And Job continued his parable and said,

1And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: --

1And Job again took up the word and said,

1Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:

2Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days whenGod preserved me;

2Who doth make me as <FI>in<Fi> months past, As <FI>in<Fi> the days of God's preserving me?

2If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!

2Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?

3When his lamp shone over my head, [and] by his light I walked through darkness;

3In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk <FI>through<Fi> darkness.

3When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.

3When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?

4As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel ofGod was over my tent,

4As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.

4As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;

4As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?

5When the Almighty was yet with me, my young men round about me;

5When yet the Mighty One <FI>is<Fi> with me. Round about me--my young ones,

5While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;

5When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?

6When my steps were bathed in milk, and the rock poured out beside me rivers of oil! ...

6When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock <FI>is<Fi> with me rivulets of oil.

6When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.

6When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?

7When I went out to the gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway,

7When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

7When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,

7When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?

8The young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged arose [and] stood up;

8Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen--they stood up.

8The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;

8The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.

9Princes refrained from talking, and laid the hand on their mouth;

9Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.

9The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;

9The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.

10The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.

10The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.

10The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.

10The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.

11When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me, and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me;

11For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth <FI>to<Fi> me.

11For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;

11The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:

12For I delivered the afflicted that cried, and the fatherless who had no helper.

12For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.

12For 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.

12Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless, that had no helper.

13The blessing of him that was perishing came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

13The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.

13The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.

13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.

14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was as a mantle and a turban.

14Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.

14I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.

14I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.

15I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame;

15Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame <FI>am<Fi> I.

15I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.

15I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.

16I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not I searched out;

16A father I <FI>am<Fi> to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

16I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.

16I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.

17And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

17And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

17By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.

17I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.

18And I said, I shall die in my nest, and multiply my days as the sand;

18And I say, `With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'

18Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;

18And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.

19My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch;

19My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.

19My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,

19My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.

20My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow be renewed in my hand.

20My honour <FI>is<Fi> fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.

20My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.

20My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.

21Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel:

21To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

21Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.

21They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.

22After my words they spoke not again, and my speech dropped upon them;

22After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,

22After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;

22To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.

23And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

23And they wait as <FI>for<Fi> rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide <FI>As<Fi> for the latter rain.

23They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.

23They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.

24[If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and they troubled not the serenity of my countenance.

24I laugh unto them--they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.

24I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.

24If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.

25I chose their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth mourners.

25I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.

25I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...

25If I had a mind to go to them, I sat first, and when I sat as a king, with his army standing about him, yet I was a comforter of them that mourned.