Job 29
1 Job continued his discourse:
2 “If only I were as I was in months past, in the days when God watched over me!
3 When his lamp shone over my head, and I walked through darkness by his light!
4 As I was in the days of my prime, when God’s friendship was over my tent!
5 When the Almighty was still with me, and my children were all around me!
6 When I washed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me!
7 When I went out to the city gate and took my place in the square!
8 The young men saw me and stepped aside, and the old men rose and stood.
9 The princes stopped speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 For the ear that heard me called me blessed, and the eye that saw me bore witness in my favor.
12 For I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to help him.
13 The blessing of the one who was perishing came upon me, and I made the widow’s heart 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 examined the case of one I did not know.
17 I broke the jaws of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 And I said, ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days like the sand.’
19 My root spread out toward the waters, and the dew spent the night on my branches.
20 My glory was renewed within me, and my bow grew strong again in my hand.
21 They listened to me and waited, and were silent for my counsel.
22 After my words, they said nothing more; my speech fell upon them like drops of rain.
23 They waited for me as for rain, and opened their mouths for the spring rain.
24 I smiled at them when they had no confidence, and they did not dim the light of my face.
25 I chose their way and sat at their head; I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.”
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