Dual Panel1AND JOB again took up his discussion and said,
2Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,
3When His lamp shone above {and} upon my head and by His light I walked through darkness;
4As I was in the [prime] ripeness of my days, when the friendship {and} counsel of God were over my tent,
5When the Almighty was yet with me and my children were about me,
6When my steps [through rich pasturage] were washed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the street [the broad place for the council at the city's gate],
8The young men saw me and hid themselves; the aged rose up {and} stood;
9The princes refrained from talking and laid their hands on their mouths;
10The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues cleaved to the roof of their mouths.
11For when the ear heard, it called me happy {and} blessed me; and when the eye saw, it testified for me [approvingly],
12Because I delivered the poor who cried, the fatherless and him who had none to help him.
13The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me {or} clothed itself with me; my justice was like a robe and a turban {or} a diadem {or} a crown!
15I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16I was a father to the poor {and} needy; the cause of him I did not know I searched out.
17And I broke the jaws {or} the big teeth of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18Then I said, I shall die in {or} beside my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19My root is spread out {and} open to the waters, and the dew lies all night upon my branch.
20My glory {and} honor are fresh in me [being constantly renewed], and my bow gains [ever] new strength in my hand.
21Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel.
22After I spoke, they did not speak again, and my speech dropped upon them [like a refreshing shower].
23And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths wide as for the spring rain.
24I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and their depression did not cast down the light of my countenance.
25I chose their way [for them] and sat as [their] chief, and dwelt like a king among his soldiers, like one who comforts mourners.