Jubilee2000 - Job - 29

29:1  Moreover, Job continued his parable and said,

29:2  Oh, that I were as [in] months past, as [in] the days [when] God preserved me;

29:3  when his candle shone upon my head, and by its light I walked in the darkness;

29:4  as I was in the days of my youth, when God was familiar in my tent;

29:5  when the Almighty [was] yet with me, [when] my children [were] about me;

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

29:7  When I went out to the gate to judgment, [when] I had my seat prepared in the plaza!

29:8  The young men would see me and hide themselves, and the aged would arise [and] stand.

29:9  The princes would refrain from talking and lay [their] hand on their mouth;

29:10  the voice of the principals would not be noticed, and their tongue would cleave to the roof of their mouth.

29:11  When the ears that heard me, called me blessed; and when the eyes that saw me, gave witness to me:

29:12  because I delivered the poor that cried and the fatherless who had no one to help him.

29:13  The blessing of the one 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 me as a robe; and my diadem was judgment.

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

29:16  I [was] a father to the needy; and the cause [which] I did not know I searched out.

29:17  And I broke the fangs of the wicked and caused their teeth to release the prey.

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 by the waters, and the dew shall remain upon my branches.

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

29:21  They would hear me and wait, and keep silent at my counsel.

29:22  After my words they would not reply, but my reason 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 at them, they did not believe [it]; and they did not cast down the light of my countenance.

29:25  I approved their way and sat at the head and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforts the mourners.: