1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
3 When his candle shined on my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was on my tabernacle;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came on me: and I caused the widow' heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 To me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22 After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped on them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelled as a king in the army, as one that comforts the mourners.
1 Moreover Job continued on with his discourse, and said:
2 Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 when His lamp shone upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness;
4 just as I was in my productive days, when the counsel of God was over my tent;
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were around me;
6 when my steps were bathed in butter, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me;
7 when I went out to the gate through the city, when I set up my seat in the open square.
8 The young men saw me and hid, and the aged arose and stood up;
9 the rulers refrained from talking, and put their hand on their mouth;
10 the leaders hid their voice, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, it blessed me, and when the eye saw, it bore witness to me;
12 because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no one to help him.
13 The blessing of the dying man came upon me, and I caused the widows heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the case that I did not know.
17 I broke the fangs of the perverse, and flung out the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and multiply my days as the sand.
19 My root was open to the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branch.
20 My glory was fresh within me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 Men listened to me and waited, and kept silent for my counsel.
22 After my speech they did not change anything, and my words dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.
24 I laughed at them when they did not believe it, and did not allow the light of my countenance to fall.
25 I chose the way for them, and sat as chief; so I dwelt as a king among the troops, as one who comforts mourners.