1 And Job again took up his discourse and said,
2
“Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God watched over me;
3
When His lamp shone over my head, And by His light I walked through darkness;
4
As I was in the prime of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;
5
When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;
6
When my steps were bathed in butter, And the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7
-“When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the square,
8
The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the old men arose and stood.
9
-“The princes stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths;
10
The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to their palate.
11
-“For when the ear heard, it called me blessed, And when the eye saw, it gave witness of me,
12
Because I delivered the poor who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper.
13
-“The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me, And I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14
-“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15
-“I was eyes to the blind And feet to the lame.
16
-“I was a father to the needy, And I investigated the case which I did not know.
17
-“I broke the jaws of the wicked And snatched the prey from his teeth.
18
-“Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19
-‘My root is spread out to the waters, And dew lies all night on my branch.
20
-‘My glory is ever new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21
“To me they listened and waited, And kept silent for my counsel.
22
-“After my words they did not speak again, And my speech dropped on them.
23
-“They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouth as for the spring rain.
24
-“I smiled on them when they did not believe, And the light of my face they did not cast down.
25
-“I chose a way for them and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king among the troops, As one who comforted the mourners.
1. And Job again took up his discourse and said,
2.
“Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God watched over me;
3.
When His lamp shone over my head, And by His light I walked through darkness;
4.
As I was in the prime of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;
5.
When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;
6.
When my steps were bathed in butter, And the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7.
-“When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the square,
8.
The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the old men arose and stood.
9.
-“The princes stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths;
10.
The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to their palate.
11.
-“For when the ear heard, it called me blessed, And when the eye saw, it gave witness of me,
12.
Because I delivered the poor who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper.
13.
-“The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me, And I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14.
-“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15.
-“I was eyes to the blind And feet to the lame.
16.
-“I was a father to the needy, And I investigated the case which I did not know.
17.
-“I broke the jaws of the wicked And snatched the prey from his teeth.
18.
-“Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19.
-‘My root is spread out to the waters, And dew lies all night on my branch.
20.
-‘My glory is ever new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21.
“To me they listened and waited, And kept silent for my counsel.
22.
-“After my words they did not speak again, And my speech dropped on them.
23.
-“They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouth as for the spring rain.
24.
-“I smiled on them when they did not believe, And the light of my face they did not cast down.
25.
-“I chose a way for them and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king among the troops, As one who comforted the mourners.
