Chapter Text
29:1 And Job continued to lift up his discourse and said,
29:2 “Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God kept me,
29:3 When His lamp shone over my head, And by His light I walked through darkness,
29:4 As I was in the prime of my days, When the intimate counsel with God was over my tent,
29:5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me,
29:6 When my steps were bathed in butter, And the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
29:7 When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the square,
29:8 The young men saw me and hid, And the old men arose and stood.
29:9 The princes stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths;
29:10 The voice of the nobles was hidden away, And their tongue clung to their palate.
29:11 For the ear heard, and it called me blessed, And the eye saw, and it gave witness of me,
29:12 Because I provided escape for the afflicted who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper.
29:13 The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me, And I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
29:14 I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban.
29:15 I was eyes to the blind And feet to the lame.
29:16 I was a father to the needy, And I searched out the case which I did not know.
29:17 I broke the fangs of the unjust And snatched the prey from his teeth.
29:18 Then I said, ‘I will breathe my last in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand.
29:19 My root is spread out to the waters, And dew lies all night on my branch.
29:20 My glory is ever new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.’
29:21 “To me they listened and waited, And kept silent for my counsel.
29:22 After my words they did not speak again, And my speech dropped on them.
29:23 They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouth as for the late rain.
29:24 I laughed with them as they could not believe it, And the light of my face they did not cast down.
29:25 I chose a way for them and sat as chief, And dwelt as their head among the troops, As one who comforted the mourners.