Job

29 And Job again took up his measure and said:—

2 Oh that it were with me as in the months of old, As in the days when God used to watch over me;

3 When his lamp shone over my head, By whose light I could go through darkness;

4 As I was in the days of my prime, When the intimacy of God was over my tent;

5 While yet the Almighty was with me, Round about me were my young men;

6 When my steps were bathed in milk, And the rock poured out beside me rivulets of oil:

7 When I went out to the gate unto the city, In the open place made ready my seat

8 Young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose—they stood;

9 Rulers restrained speech, And a hand laid they on their mouth;

10 The voice of nobles was hushed, And their tongue to their palate did cleave;

11 When the ear heard then it pronounced me happy, When the eye saw then it bare me witness;

12 Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, The fatherless also and him that had no helper;

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish upon me was wont to descend, And the heart of the widow caused I to sing for joy;

14 Righteousness I put on and it clothed me, Like a robe and turban was my justice;

15 Eyes became I to the blind, And feet to the lame was I!

16 A father was I to the needy, And as for the cause which I knew not I used to search it out;

17 And I shivered the fangs of the perverse,—And out of his teeth I tare the prey.

18 Then said I, Like a stem shall I grow old, Yea as the sand shall I multiply days:

19 My root is laid open to the waters, And the dew shall lodge for the night in my boughs;

20 Mine honour shall be young again with me, And my bow in my hand be renewed.

21 To me men hearkened and waited, And kept silence for my counsel;

22 After I had spoken they spake not again, And upon them used my speech to drop;

23 And they waited as for rain for me, And their mouths they opened wide for the spring-rain;

24 I laughed at them—they lost confidence, And the light of my countenance they suffered not to fail;

25 I chose out their way and sat chief,—And abode as king in an army, As one who to mourners giveth comfort.