Job 29 — ULB

29Verse 1Job resumed speaking and said,^{Verse 2}“Oh, that I were as I was in the past months
when God cared for me,
^{Verse 3}when his lamp shined on my head,
and when I walked through darkness by his light.
^{Verse 4}Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days
when the friendship of God was on my tent,
^{Verse 5}when the Almighty was yet with me,
and my children were around me,
^{Verse 6}when my way was covered with cream,
and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
^{Verse 7}When I went out to the city gate,
when I sat in my place in the city square,
^{Verse 8}the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect,
and the aged people rose and stood for me.
^{Verse 9}The princes used to refrain from talking when I came;
they would lay their hand on their mouths.
^{Verse 10}The voices of the noblemen were hushed,
and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
^{Verse 11}For after their ears heard me, they would then bless me;
after their eyes saw me, they would then give witness to me and approve of me
^{Verse 12}because I rescued the one who was poor when he cried out,
and the one who had no father when he had no one to help him.
^{Verse 13}The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me;
I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
^{Verse 14}I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and a turban.
^{Verse 15}I was eyes to blind people;
I was feet to lame people.
^{Verse 16}I was a father to needy people;
I would examine the case even of one whom I did not know.
^{Verse 17}I broke the jaws of the unrighteous man;
I plucked the victim out from between his teeth.
^{Verse 18}Then I said, 'I will die in my nest;
I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
^{Verse 19}My roots are spread out to the waters,
and dew lies all night on my branches.
^{Verse 20}The honor in me is always fresh,
and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
^{Verse 21}To me men listened; they waited for me;
they stayed silent to hear my advice.
^{Verse 22}After my words were done, they did not speak again;
my speech dropped like water on them.
^{Verse 23}They always waited for me as they waited for rain;
they opened their mouth wide to drink in my words,
as they would do for the latter rain.
^{Verse 24}I smiled on them when they did not expect it;
they did not reject the light of my face.
^{Verse 25}I selected their way and sat as their chief;
I lived like a king in his army,
like one who comforts mourners.