Add parallel Print Page Options

29 Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:

Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?

When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?

As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?

When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?

When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?

When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?

The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.

The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.

10 The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.

11 The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:

12 Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.

14 I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.

15 I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.

16 I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.

17 I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.

18 And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.

19 My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.

20 My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.

21 They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.

22 To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.

23 They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.

24 If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.

25 If I had a mind to go to them, I sat first, and when I sat as a king, with his army standing about him, yet I was a comforter of them that mourned.

Job’s Final Defense

29 Job continued his discourse:(A)

“How I long for the months gone by,(B)
    for the days when God watched over me,(C)
when his lamp shone on my head
    and by his light I walked through darkness!(D)
Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
    when God’s intimate friendship(E) blessed my house,(F)
when the Almighty was still with me
    and my children(G) were around me,(H)
when my path was drenched with cream(I)
    and the rock(J) poured out for me streams of olive oil.(K)

“When I went to the gate(L) of the city
    and took my seat in the public square,
the young men saw me and stepped aside(M)
    and the old men rose to their feet;(N)
the chief men refrained from speaking(O)
    and covered their mouths with their hands;(P)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,(Q)
    and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.(R)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
    and those who saw me commended me,(S)
12 because I rescued the poor(T) who cried for help,
    and the fatherless(U) who had none to assist them.(V)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;(W)
    I made the widow’s(X) heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness(Y) as my clothing;
    justice was my robe and my turban.(Z)
15 I was eyes(AA) to the blind
    and feet to the lame.(AB)
16 I was a father to the needy;(AC)
    I took up the case(AD) of the stranger.(AE)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
    and snatched the victims(AF) from their teeth.(AG)

18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
    my days as numerous as the grains of sand.(AH)
19 My roots will reach to the water,(AI)
    and the dew will lie all night on my branches.(AJ)
20 My glory will not fade;(AK)
    the bow(AL) will be ever new in my hand.’(AM)

21 “People listened to me expectantly,
    waiting in silence for my counsel.(AN)
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;(AO)
    my words fell gently on their ears.(AP)
23 They waited for me as for showers
    and drank in my words as the spring rain.(AQ)
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
    the light of my face(AR) was precious to them.[a](AS)
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;(AT)
    I dwelt as a king(AU) among his troops;
    I was like one who comforts mourners.(AV)

Footnotes

  1. Job 29:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.