Job 29

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

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

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

2Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me;

2Who doth make me as <FI>in<Fi> months past, As <FI>in<Fi> the days of God's preserving 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 shined upon 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 lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 rose up and stood;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless, that had 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 the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.

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 robe and a diadem.

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

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 an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.

16I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that 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 the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.