Chapter 29

Moreover Job continued^{55 5375 2} his parable, and said,⁴

Oh that⁴ I were as [in] months past, as [in] the days [when] God preserved⁴ me;

When his candle shined² upon my head, [and when] by his light I walked⁴ [through] darkness;

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;

When the Almighty [was] yet with me, [when] my children [were] about me;

When I washed² my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out⁴ rivers of oil;

When I went out² to the gate through the city, [when] I prepared⁵⁵ my seat in the street!

The young men saw¹ me, and hid⁸ themselves: and the aged arose,¹ [and] stood up.¹

The princes refrained¹ talking, and laid⁴ [their] hand on their mouth.

The nobles held⁸ their peace, and their tongue cleaved¹ to the roof of their mouth.

When the ear heard¹ [me], then it blessed¹⁷ me; and when the eye saw¹ [me], it gave witness⁵⁵ to me:

Because I delivered¹⁷ the poor that cried,¹⁸ and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help⁶ him.

The blessing of him that was ready to perish⁶ came⁴ upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.⁵⁵

I put on¹ righteousness, and it clothed⁴ me: my judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet [was] I to the lame.

I [was] a father to the poor: and the cause [which] I knew¹ not I searched out.⁴

And I brake¹⁷ the jaws of the wicked, and plucked⁵⁵ the spoil out of his teeth.

Then I said,⁴ I shall die⁴ in my nest, and I shall multiply⁵⁵ [my] days as the sand.

My root [was] spread out⁷ by the waters, and the dew lay all night⁴ upon my branch.

My glory [was] fresh in me, and my bow was renewed⁵⁵ in my hand.

Unto me [men] gave ear,¹ and waited,¹⁴ and kept silence⁴ at my counsel.

After my words they spake not again;⁴ and my speech dropped⁴ upon them.

And they waited¹⁴ for me as for the rain; and they opened¹ their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain.

[If] I laughed⁴ on them, they believed⁵⁵ [it] not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.⁵⁵

I chose⁴ out their way, and sat⁴ chief, and dwelt⁴ as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth¹⁷ the mourners.