JOB 29

1 Also Job added, taking his parable, and said, 2 Who giveth to me, that I be beside the eld months, by the days in which God kept me? 3 When his lantern shined on mine head, and I went in darknesses at his light. 4 As I was in the days of my youth, when in private God was in my tabernacle. 5 When Almighty God was with me, and my children were in my compass; 6 when I washed my feet in [or with] butter, and the stone shedded [or poured] out to me the streams [or rivers] of oil; 7 when I went forth to the gate of the city, and in the street they made ready a chair to me. 8 Young wanton men saw me, and were hid, and eld [or old] men rising up stood; 9 princes ceased to speak, and they putted their finger on their mouth; 10 dukes refrained their voice, and their tongue cleaved to their throat. 11 The ear that heard me, blessed me, and the eye that saw me, yielded witnessing to me; 12 for I delivered the poor man crying [out], and the fatherless child, that had no helper. 13 The blessing of a man ready to perish came on me, and I comforted the heart of the widow. 14 I was clothed with rightfulness [or rightwiseness]; and I clothed me as with a cloth, and with my doom a diadem. 15 I was eye to a blind man, and foot to a crooked man. 16 I was a father of poor men; and I inquired most diligently the cause, which I knew not. 17 I all-brake the great teeth of the wicked man, and I took away the prey from his teeth. 18 And I said, I shall die in my nest; and as a palm tree I shall multiply my days. 19 My root is opened beside waters, and dew shall dwell in my reaping. 20 My glory shall ever[more] be renewed, and my bow shall be restored in mine hand. 21 They, that heard me, abided my sentence; and they were attentive, or taking heed to me, and they were still at my counsel. 22 They durst nothing add to my words; and my speech dropped upon them. 23 They abided me as rain; and they opened their mouth as to the soft rain coming late. 24 If any time I laughed to them, they believed not; and the light of my cheer, that is, the gladness of my face, felled not down into the earth. 25 If I would go to them, I sat the first; and when I sat as [a] king, while the host stood about, nevertheless I was [the] comforter of them that mourned.