29:1 And Job again took up his parable, and said:
29:2 Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
29:3 When His lamp shined above my head, and by His light I walked through darkness;
29:4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the converse of God was upon my tent;
29:5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were about me;
29:6 When my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil!
29:7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place,
29:8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood;
29:9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth;
29:10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
29:11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me;
29:12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless also, that had none to help him.
29:13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; my justice was as a robe and a diadem.
29:15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
29:16 I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
29:17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
29:18 Then I said: 'I shall die with my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the phoenix;
29:19 My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew shall lie all night upon my branch;
29:20 My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in my hand.'
29:21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
29:22 After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
29:23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
29:24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
29:25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.