1 M oreover Job continued his parable, and said,

And Job again took up his discourse 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 gone by, As in the days when God watched over me;

3 W hen his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

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

4 A s I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

As I was in the prime of my days, When the friendship 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, And my children were around 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 butter, And the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

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

“When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the square,

8 T he young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.

The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the old men arose and stood.

9 T he princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

“The princes stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths;

10 T he nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to their palate.

11 W hen the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

“For when the ear heard, it called me blessed, And when the eye saw, it gave witness of me,

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

Because I delivered the poor who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper.

13 T he blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

“The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me, And I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.

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

“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe 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 to the lame.

16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

“I was a father to the needy, And I investigated the case which I did not know.

17 A nd I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

“I broke the jaws of the wicked And snatched the prey from his teeth.

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

“Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand.

19 M y root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

‘My root is spread out to the waters, And dew lies all night on my branch.

20 M y glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

‘My glory is ever new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 U nto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

“To me they listened and waited, And kept silent for my counsel.

22 A fter my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

“After my words they did not speak again, And my speech dropped on them.

23 A nd they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

“They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouth as for the spring rain.

24 I f I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

“I smiled on them when they did not believe, And the light of my face they did not cast down.

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

“I chose a way for them and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king among the troops, As one who comforted the mourners.