1 A nd Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: --

Then Job spoke again and said,

2 W ho doth make me as months past, As the days of God's preserving me?

“If only I could be now as I was in the months past when God watched over me!

3 I n His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk darkness.

His lamp shined over my head then and by His light I walked through darkness.

4 A s I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.

Those days were my best days when God was my friend watching over my tent.

5 W hen yet the Mighty One with me. Round about me -- my young ones,

The All-powerful was still with me, and my children were around me.

6 W hen washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock with me rivulets of oil.

My path was washed with milk, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me.

7 W hen I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

When I went to the city gate and took my place with the leaders of the city,

8 S een me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen -- they stood up.

the young men saw me and let me go by. The old men rose and stood.

9 P rinces have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.

The leaders stopped talking, and put their hands on their mouths.

10 T he voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.

The voices of the rulers were quiet. Their tongues held to the roof of their mouths.

11 F or the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth me.

Those who heard me, honored me. Those who saw me, respected me,

12 F or I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.

because I helped the poor man when he cried for help and the child without parents who had no one to help him.

13 T he blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.

Good came to me from the man who was dying. And I made the heart of the woman whose husband had died sing for joy.

14 R ighteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.

I put on what was right and good, and it clothed me. The right things done were my coat and head-covering.

15 E yes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame I.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the man who could not walk.

16 A father I to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

I was a father to those in need. And I helped those I did not know who had a need.

17 A nd I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

I broke the jaws of the sinful, and took from their teeth what they had taken.

18 A nd I say, `With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'

Then I thought, ‘I will die in my nest. My days will be as many as the sand.

19 M y root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.

My roots go to the water. As the water is on the grass in the early morning, it will be all night on my branches.

20 M y honour fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.

My honor is always new to me, and my bow is new in my hand.’

21 T o me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

“Men listened to me and waited. They were quiet so they could hear my words of wisdom.

22 A fter my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,

After I spoke, they did not speak again. My words stayed with them.

23 A nd they wait as rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide for the latter rain.

They waited for me as for rain. And they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.

24 I laugh unto them -- they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.

I looked at them with joy when they were not sure of themselves, and the light of my face gave them comfort.

25 I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.

I decided the way for them and sat as their leader. I lived as a king among his army, and like one who gives comfort to those in sorrow.