Job 29:1-25
29 Job continued his discourse,* saying:
2 “If only I were in the months gone by,In the days when God was watching over me,
3 When he caused his lamp to shine upon my head,When I walked through darkness by his light,+
4 When I was in* my prime,When God’s friendship was felt in my tent,+
5 When the Almighty was still with me,When my children* were all around me,
6 When my steps were awash in butter,And the rocks poured out streams of oil for me.+
7 When I used to go out to the city gate+And take my seat in the public square,+
8 The young men would see me and step aside,*And even the old men would rise and remain standing.+
9 Princes refrained from speaking;They would put their hand over their mouth.
10 The voices of the prominent men were silenced;Their tongue was stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 Whoever heard me would speak well of me,And those who saw me would testify for me.
12 For I would rescue the poor who cried for help,+Along with the fatherless child and anyone who had no helper.+
13 The one about to perish would bless me,+And I made the heart of the widow rejoice.+
14 I put on righteousness as my clothing;My justice was like a robe* and a turban.
15 I became eyes to the blindAnd feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor;+I would investigate the legal case of those I did not know.+
17 I would break the jaws of the wrongdoer+And tear the prey away from his teeth.
18 I used to say, ‘I will die in my own home,*+And my days will be as numerous as the grains of sand.
19 My roots will spread out into the waters,And dew will stay all night on my branches.
20 My glory is constantly renewed,And the bow in my hand will keep shooting.’
21 People would listen expectantly,Waiting in silence for my advice.+
22 After I had spoken, they had nothing more to say;My words would fall gently* on their ears.
23 They waited for me as for the rain;They opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.+
24 When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it;The light of my face would reassure them.*
25 I gave them direction as their head,And I lived like a king among his troops,+Like one who comforts the mourners.+
Footnotes
^ Lit., “proverb.”
^ Lit., “in the days of.”
^ Or “attendants.”
^ Lit., “hide themselves.”
^ Or “sleeveless coat.”
^ Lit., “in my nest.”
^ Lit., “would drip.”
^ Or possibly, “They did not darken the light of my face.”