Job 29

1Moreover Job continued: Heb. added to take upcontinued his parable, and said,

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

3When his candle: or, lampcandle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

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: Heb. with meme out rivers of oil;

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…: Heb. The voice of the nobles was hidThe nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

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: Heb. the jawteeth, or, the grindersthe jaws of the wicked, and plucked: Heb. castplucked the spoil out of his teeth.

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

19My root was spread…: Heb. openedspread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

20My glory was fresh: Heb. newfresh in me, and my bow was renewed: Heb. changedrenewed in my hand.

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

22After my words they spakespoke 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.