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.