1 Job again took up his parable, and said,

2 "Oh that I were as in the months of old,

as in the days when God watched over me;

3 when his lamp shone on my head,

and by his light I walked through darkness,

4 as I was in my prime,

when the friendship of God was in my tent,

5 when the Almighty was yet with me,

and my children were around me,

6 when my steps were washed with butter,

and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

7 when I went out to the city gate,

when I prepared my seat in the street.

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves.

The aged rose up and stood.

9 The princes refrained from talking,

and laid their hand on their mouth.

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed,

and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me,

and when the eye saw me, it commended me,

12 because I delivered the poor who cried,

and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,

13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me,

and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me.

My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind,

and feet to the lame.

16 I was a father to the needy.

I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.

17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous

and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house,

I will count my days as the sand.

19 My root is spread out to the waters.

The dew lies all night on my branch.

20 My glory is fresh in me.

My bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 "Men listened to me, waited,

and kept silence for my counsel.

22 After my words they didn’t speak again.

My speech fell on them.

23 They waited for me as for the rain.

Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence.

They didn’t reject the light of my face.

25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief.

I lived as a king in the army,

as one who comforts the mourners.

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 shone upon my head, and by its light I walked in the darkness;

4 as I was in the days of my youth, when God was familiar in my tent;

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 to judgment, [when] I had my seat prepared in the plaza!

8 The young men would see me and hide themselves, and the aged would arise [and] stand.

9 The princes would refrain from talking and lay [their] hand on their mouth;

10 the voice of the principals would not be noticed, and their tongue would cleave to the roof of their mouth.

11 When the ears that heard me, called me blessed; and when the eyes that saw me, gave witness to me:

12 because I delivered the poor that cried and the fatherless who had no one to help him.

13 The blessing of the one 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 as a robe; and my diadem was judgment.

15 I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.

16 I [was] a father to the needy; and the cause [which] I did not know I searched out.

17 And I broke the fangs of the wicked and caused their teeth to release the prey.

18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand.

19 My root [is] spread out by the waters, and the dew shall remain upon my branches.

20 My glory is renewed with me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.

21 They would hear me and wait, and keep silent at my counsel.

22 After my words they would not reply, but my reason 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 at them, they did not believe [it]; and they did not cast down the light of my countenance.

25 I approved their way and sat at the head and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforts the mourners.: