Job’s Reply (continued)
29:1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
29:2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when
God preserved me;
29:3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his
light I walked through darkness;
29:4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of
God was upon my tabernacle;
29:5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children
were about me;
29:6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock
poured me out rivers of oil;
29:7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I
prepared my seat in the street!
29:8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged
arose, and stood up.
29:9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on
their mouth.
29:10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved
to the roof of their mouth.
29:11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when
the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
29:12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the
fatherless, and him 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 me: my
judgment 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 poor: and the cause which I
knew not I searched out.
29:17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the
spoil out of his teeth.
29:18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall
multiply my days as the sand.
29:19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay
all night upon my branch.
29:20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in
my hand.
29:21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at
my counsel.
29:22 After my words they spake 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 chief, and dwelt as a
king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. |