Job 29

¹ And Job again took up his parable, and said, ² Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me; ³ When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness; ⁴ As I was in the ripeness of my days, __a__FOOTNOTE__a__ Job 29:4 Or, counsel __b__FOOTNOTE__b__ friendship of God was upon my tent; ⁵ When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me; ⁶ When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil! ⁷ When I went forth to the gate unto the city, street, ⁸ The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood; ⁹ The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth; ¹⁰ The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. ¹¹ For when the ear heard me , then it blessed me; me , it gave witness unto me: ¹² Because I delivered the poor that cried, that had none to help him. ¹³ The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. ¹⁴ I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: __a__FOOTNOTE__a__ Job 29:14 Or, turban __b__FOOTNOTE__b__ diadem. ¹⁵ I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame. ¹⁶ I was a father to the needy: the cause of him that I knew not I searched out. ¹⁷ And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey 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 is spread out __a__FOOTNOTE__a__ Job 29:19 Or, by __b__FOOTNOTE__b__ to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch: ²⁰ My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand. ²¹ Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. ²² After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them. ²³ And they waited for me as for the rain; as for the latter rain. ²⁴ I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down. ²⁵ I chose out their way, and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners.