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

¶ Moreover, 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 upon my head, and by its light I walked in the 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 God was familiar in my tent;

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

when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

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

when I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out 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 to judgment, when I had my seat prepared in the plaza!

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

The young men would see me and hide themselves, and the aged would arise and stand.

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

The princes would refrain from talking and lay their 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 principals would not be noticed, and their tongue would cleave to the roof of their mouth.

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 ears that heard me, called me blessed; and when the eyes that saw me, gave witness to me:

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

because I delivered the poor that cried and the fatherless who had no one 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.

The blessing of the one that was ready 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!

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me as a robe; and my diadem was judgment.

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

I was eyes to the blind and feet 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 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.

And I broke the fangs of the wicked and caused their teeth to release the prey.

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

¶ Then I said, I shall die in 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.

My root is spread out by the waters, and the dew shall remain upon my branches.

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

My glory is renewed with me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.

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

They would hear me and wait, and keep silent at my counsel.

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

After my words they would not reply, but my reason 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.

If I laughed at them, they did not believe it; and they 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.

I approved their way and sat at the head and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforts the mourners.