JOB 29:1 Job again took up his parable, and said,
JOB 29:2 "Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
JOB 29:3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
JOB 29:4 as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
JOB 29:5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
JOB 29:6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
JOB 29:7 when I went forth to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
JOB 29:8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
JOB 29:9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
JOB 29:10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
JOB 29:11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
JOB 29:12 Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had none to help him,
JOB 29:13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
JOB 29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
JOB 29:15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
JOB 29:16 I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn't know, I searched out.
JOB 29:17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
JOB 29:18 Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand.
JOB 29:19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
JOB 29:20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.'
JOB 29:21 "Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
JOB 29:22 After my words they didn't speak again. My speech fell on them.
JOB 29:23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
JOB 29:24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn't reject the light of my face.
JOB 29:25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.