1 A nd Job again took up his discussion and said,

2 O h, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,

3 W hen His lamp shone above and upon my head and by His light I walked through darkness;

4 A s I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship and counsel of God were over my tent,

5 W hen the Almighty was yet with me and my children were about me,

6 W hen my steps were washed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 W hen I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the street,

8 T he young men saw me and hid themselves; the aged rose up and stood;

9 T he princes refrained from talking and laid their hands on their mouths;

10 T he voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues cleaved to the roof of their mouths.

11 F or when the ear heard, it called me happy and blessed me; and when the eye saw, it testified for me,

12 B ecause I delivered the poor who cried, the fatherless and him who had none to help him.

13 T he blessing of him who was about 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 or clothed itself with me; my justice was like a robe and a turban or a diadem or a crown!

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

16 I was a father to the poor and needy; the cause of him I did not know I searched out.

17 A nd I broke the jaws or the big teeth of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18 T hen I said, I shall die in or beside my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

19 M y root is spread out and open to the waters, and the dew lies all night upon my branch.

20 M y glory and honor are fresh in me, and my bow gains new strength in my hand.

21 M en listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel.

22 A fter I spoke, they did not speak again, and my speech dropped upon them.

23 A nd they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths wide as for the spring rain.

24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and their depression did not cast down the light of my countenance.

25 I chose their way and sat as chief, and dwelt like a king among his soldiers, like one who comforts mourners.