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

2 “ Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God watched over me;

3 W hen His lamp shone over my head, And by His light I walked through darkness;

4 A s 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, And my children were around me;

6 W hen my steps were bathed in butter, And the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 “ 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 old men arose and stood.

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

10 T he voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to their palate.

11 “ 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 who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper.

13 “ 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 justice was like a robe and a turban.

15 “ I was eyes to the blind And feet to the lame.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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