Noyes - Job - 29

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

29:2  O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;

29:3  When his lamp shined over my head, And when by his light I walked through darkness!

29:4  As I was in the autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;

29:5  When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;

29:6  When I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out rivers of oil!

29:7  When I went forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,

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

29:9  The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth.

29:10  The nobles held their peace, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

29:11  When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.

29:12  For I delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who had none to help him.

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

29:14  I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and diadem.

29:15  I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame;

29:16  I was a father to the poor, And the cause of him I knew not I searched out;

29:17  And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.

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

29:19  My root is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.

29:20  My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength in my hand."

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

29:22  To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon them.

29:23  Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.

29:24  If I smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.

29:25  When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.