ACV - Job - 29

29:1  And Job again took up his discourse, and said,

29:2  O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,

29:3  when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

29:4  as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was upon my tent,

29:5  when the Almighty was yet with me, and my sons were about me,

29:6  when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil to me,

29:7  when I went forth to the gate to the city, when I prepared my seat in the street.

29:8  The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood.

29:9  The rulers refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

29:10  The voice of the ranking men was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

29:11  For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.

29:12  Because I delivered the poor who cried, also the fatherless who had none to help him.

29:13  The blessing of him who was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

29:14  I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

29:15  I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame.

29:16  I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the case of him whom I did not know.

29:17  And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

29:18  Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

29:19  My root is spread out to the waters, and the dew lays all night upon my branch.

29:20  My glory is fresh in me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.

29:21  To me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.

29:22  After my words they spoke not again, and my speech distilled upon them.

29:23  And they waited for me as for the rain. And they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

29:24  I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and they did not cast down the light of my countenance.

29:25  I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as a man who comforts the mourners.