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.