Job 29
1 Moreover
Job continued his
parable, and
said,
2 Oh
that I were as in
months past, as in the
days when
God preserved me;
3 When his
candle shined upon my
head, and when by his
light I
walked through
darkness; 4 As I was in the
days of my
youth, when the
secret of
God was upon my
tabernacle; 5 When the
Almighty was yet with me, when my
children were
about me;
6 When I
washed my
steps with
butter, and the
rock poured me
out rivers of
oil; 7 When I went
out to the
gate through the
city, when I
prepared my
seat in the
street! 8 The young
men saw me, and
hid themselves: and the
aged arose, and stood
up.
9 The
princes refrained talking, and
laid their
hand on their
mouth. 10 The
nobles held their
peace, and their
tongue cleaved to the roof of their
mouth. 11 When the
ear heard me, then it
blessed me; and when the
eye saw me, it gave
witness to me:
12 Because I
delivered the
poor that
cried, and the
fatherless, and him that had none to
help him.
13 The
blessing of him that was ready to
perish came upon me: and I caused the
widow's heart to sing for
joy.
14 I
put on
righteousness, and it
clothed me: my
judgment was as a
robe and a
diadem. 15 I was
eyes to the
blind, and
feet was I to the
lame. 16 I was a
father to the
poor: and the
cause which I
knew not I searched
out.
17 And I
brake the
jaws of the
wicked, and
plucked the
spoil out of his
teeth. 18 Then I
said, I shall
die in my
nest, and I shall
multiply my
days as the
sand. 19 My
root was spread
out by the
waters, and the
dew lay all
night upon my
branch. 20 My
glory was
fresh in
me, and my
bow was
renewed in my
hand. 21 Unto me men gave
ear, and
waited, and kept
silence at my
counsel. 22 After my
words they spake not
again; and my
speech dropped upon them.
23 And they
waited for me as for the
rain; and they
opened their
mouth wide as for the latter
rain. 24 If I
laughed on them, they
believed it not; and the
light of my
countenance they cast not
down.
25 I
chose out their
way, and
sat chief, and
dwelt as a
king in the
army, as one that
comforteth the
mourners.