1 ¶ Moreover, Job continued his parable and said,

And Job continued his parable and said,

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

Oh 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;

When his lamp shone over my head, by his light I walked through darkness;

4 a s I was in the days of my youth, when God was familiar in 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, when my children were about me;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Princes refrained from talking, and laid the 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.

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

11 W hen the ears that heard me, called me blessed; and when the eyes that saw me, gave witness to 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 that cried and the fatherless who had no one to help him.

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

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.

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 as a robe; and my diadem was judgment.

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 to the lame.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame;

16 I was a father to the needy; and the cause which 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 fangs of the wicked and caused their teeth to release the prey.

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

18 ¶ Then I said, I shall die in 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 by the waters, and the dew shall remain upon my branches.

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

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

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

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

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

22 A fter my words they would not reply, but my reason 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 mouth wide as for the latter rain.

And 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.

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

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