1 ¶ Moreover, Job continued his parable and said,

2 O h, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

3 w hen his lamp shone upon my head, and by its light I walked in the darkness;

4 a s I was in the days of my youth, when God was familiar in my tent;

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

6 w hen I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil!

7 ¶ When I went out to the gate to judgment, when I had my seat prepared in the plaza!

8 T he young men would see me and hide themselves, and the aged would arise and stand.

9 T he princes would refrain from talking and lay their hand on their mouth;

10 t he voice of the principals would not be noticed, and their tongue would cleave to the roof of their mouth.

11 W hen 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 that cried and the fatherless who had no one to help him.

13 T he 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 as a robe; and my diadem was judgment.

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

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

17 A nd I broke the fangs of the wicked and caused their teeth to release the prey.

18 ¶ 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 by the waters, and the dew shall remain upon my branches.

20 M y glory is renewed with me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.

21 T hey would hear me and wait, and keep silent at my counsel.

22 A fter 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 mouth wide as for the latter rain.

24 I f I laughed at them, they did not believe it; and they did not cast down the light of my countenance.

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