Job - Chapter 29 - A Conservative Version
- And Job again took up his parable, and said,
- O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,
- when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
- as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was upon my tent,
- when the Almighty was yet with me, and my sons were about me,
- when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil to me,
- when I went forth to the gate to the city, when I prepared my seat in the street.
- The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood.
- The rulers refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
- The voice of the ranking men was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
- For when the ear heard [me], then it blessed me, and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me.
- Because I delivered the poor who cried, also the fatherless who had none to help him.
- The blessing of him who was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
- I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
- I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame.
- I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the case of him whom I did not know.
- And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
- Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
- My root is spread out to the waters, and the dew lays all night upon my branch.
- My glory is fresh in me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.
- To me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
- After my words they spoke not again, and my speech distilled upon them.
- And they waited for me as for the rain. And they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain.
- I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and they did not cast down the light of my countenance.
- I chose out their way, and sat [as] chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as a man who comforts the mourners.