1 Job continued his discourse: |
2 "How I long for the months gone by,
for the days when God watched over me, |
3 when his lamp shone upon my head
and by his light I walked through darkness! |
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God's intimate friendship blessed my house, |
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children were around me, |
6 when my path was drenched with cream
and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil. |
7 "When I went to the gate of the city
and took my seat in the public square, |
8 the young men saw me and stepped aside
and the old men rose to their feet; |
9 the chief men refrained from speaking
and covered their mouths with their hands; |
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. |
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me, |
12 because I rescued the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to assist him. |
13 The man who was dying blessed me;
I made the widow's heart sing. |
14 I put on righteousness as my clothing;
justice was my robe and my turban. |
15 I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame. |
16 I was a father to the needy;
I took up the case of the stranger. |
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
and snatched the victims from their teeth. |
18 "I thought, 'I will die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand. |
19 My roots will reach to the water,
and the dew will lie all night on my branches. |
20 My glory will remain fresh in me,
the bow ever new in my hand.' |
21 "Men listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel. |
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;
my words fell gently on their ears. |
23 They waited for me as for showers
and drank in my words as the spring rain. |
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
the light of my face was precious to them.1 29:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain. |
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;
I dwelt as a king among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners. |
