Job 29

1And Job again took up his parable, and said,

1And Job again took up the word and said,

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

2Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over 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 doth make me as <FI>in<Fi> months past, As <FI>in<Fi> the days of God's preserving me?

3When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness;

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

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

4As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent;

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

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

5When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me;

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

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

6When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil!

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

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

7When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street,

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

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

8The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood;

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

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

9The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;

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

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

10The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

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

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

11For when the ear heardme, then it blessed me; And when the eye sawme, it gave witness unto 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;

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

12Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him.

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.

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

13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

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

14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

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

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

15I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame.

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

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

16I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

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

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

17And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.

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

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

18Then I said, I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand:

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

19My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch:

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

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

20My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.

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

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

21Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.

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

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

22After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them.

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

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

23And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wideasfor the latter rain.

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

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

24I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down.

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

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

25I chose out their way, and sataschief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners.

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

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