Job, 29

¹ Job continued his discourse,^*1 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^*1 my prime, When God’s friendship was felt in my tent,

⁵ When the Almighty was still with me, When my children^*1 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,^*1 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^*1 and a turban.

¹⁵ I became eyes to the blind And 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,^*1 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^*1 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.^*1

²⁵ I gave them direction as their head, And I lived like a king among his troops, Like one who comforts the mourners.