JPS - Job - 29

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

29:2  Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when G-d watched over me;

29:3  When His lamp shined above my head, and by His light I walked through darkness;

29:4  As I was in the days of my youth, when the converse of G-d was upon my tent;

29:5  When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were about me;

29:6  When my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil!

29:7  When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place,

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

29:9  The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth;

29:10  The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved 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 unto me;

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

29:13  The blessing of him that 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 itself with me; my justice was as a robe and a diadem.

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

29:16  I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

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 with my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the phoenix;

29:19  My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew shall lie all night upon my branch;

29:20  My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in my hand.'

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

29:22  After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped 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  If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

29:25  I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.