Job 29 — GNB
29Verse 1Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:Verse 2O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;Verse 3When his lamp shined over my head, And when by his light I walked through darkness!Verse 4As I was in the autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;Verse 5When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;Verse 6When I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out rivers of oil!Verse 7When I went forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,Verse 8The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose and stood.Verse 9The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth.Verse 10The nobles held their peace, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.Verse 11When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.Verse 12For I delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who had none to help him.Verse 13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, And I caused the heart of the widow to sing for joy.Verse 14I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and diadem.Verse 15I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame;Verse 16I was a father to the poor, And the cause of him I knew not I searched out;Verse 17And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.Verse 18Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall multiply my days as the sand.Verse 19My root is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.Verse 20My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength in my hand.”Verse 21To me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.Verse 22To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon them.Verse 23Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.Verse 24If I smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.Verse 25When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.