Job 29

1Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,footnote a

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

3When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;footnote b

4As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

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

6When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;footnote c

7When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

8The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.

9The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

10The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.footnote d

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

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

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

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

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

16I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

17And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.footnote efootnote f

18Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

19My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.footnote g

20My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.footnote hfootnote i

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

22After my words they spake not again; 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.

24If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

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

Job’s Former Blessings

1And Job continued his discourse:

2“How I long for the months gone by,for the days when God watched over me, 3when His lamp shone above my head,and by His light I walked through the darkness, 4when I was in my prime,footnote awhen the friendship of God rested on my tent, 5when the Almighty was still with meand my children were around me, 6when my steps were bathed in creamand the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7When I went out to the city gateand took my seat in the public square, 8the young men saw me and withdrew,and the old men rose to their feet. 9The princes refrained from speakingand covered their mouths with their hands. 10The voices of the nobles were hushed,and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths. 11For those who heard me called me blessed,and those who saw me commended me, 12because I rescued the poor who cried outand the fatherless who had no helper. 13The dying man blessed me,and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy. 14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;justice was my robe and my turban. 15I served as eyes to the blindand as feet to the lame. 16I was a father to the needy,and I took up the case of the stranger. 17I shattered the fangs of the unjustand snatched the prey from his teeth.

18So I thought: ‘I will die in my nestand multiply my days as the sand. 19My roots will spread out to the waters,and the dew will rest nightly on my branches. 20My glory is ever new within me,and my bow is renewed in my hand.’

21Men listened to me with expectation,waiting silently for my counsel. 22After my words, they spoke no more;my speech settled on them like dew. 23They waited for me as for rainand drank in my words like spring showers. 24If I smiled at them, they did not believe it;the light of my countenance was precious. 25I chose their course and presided as chief.So I dwelt as a king among his troops,as a comforter of the mourners.