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

And Job continued his parable and said,

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

Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when +God preserved me;

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

When his lamp shone over my head, 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,

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of +God was over my tent,

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

When the Almighty was yet with me, my young men round about me;

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

When my steps were bathed in milk, and the rock poured out beside me rivers of oil! …

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

When I went out to the gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway,

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

The young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged arose stood up;

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

Princes refrained from talking, and laid the hand on their mouth;

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

The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.

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

When the ear heard, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw, it gave witness to me;

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

For I delivered the afflicted that cried, and the fatherless who had no helper.

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.

The blessing of him that was perishing 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!

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was as a mantle and a turban.

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

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.

I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not 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.

And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the spoil 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.

And I said, I shall die in my nest, and 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.

My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch;

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

My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow be renewed in my hand.

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

Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel:

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

After my words they spoke not 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.

And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

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

I laughed on them, they believed not; and they troubled not the serenity 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.

I chose their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth mourners.