Job 29
New American Standard Bible
Job’s Past Was Glorious
29 Job again took up his (A)discourse and said,
2 “Oh that I were as in months gone by,
As in the days when God (B)watched over me;
3 When (C)His lamp shone over my head,
And (D)by His light I walked through darkness;
4 Just as I was in the days of my youth,
When the (E)protection of God was over my tent;
5 When [a]the Almighty was still with me,
And my children were around me;
6 When my steps were bathed in (F)cream,
And the (G)rock poured out streams of oil for me!
7 When I went out to (H)the gate of the city,
When I [b]took my seat in the public square,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And the old men arose and stood.
9 The leaders (I)stopped talking
And (J)put their hands on their mouths;
10 The voices of the prominent people were [c](K)hushed,
And their (L)tongues stuck to their palates.
11 For when (M)an ear heard, it called me blessed,
And when an eye saw, it testified in support of me,
12 Because I saved (N)the poor who cried for help,
And the (O)orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the one who (P)was about to perish came upon me,
And I made the (Q)widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I (R)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a headband.
15 I was (S)eyes to those who were blind,
And feet to those who [d]could not walk.
16 I was a father to (T)the poor,
And I investigated the case which I did not know.
17 I (U)broke the jaws of the wicked
And rescued the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I [e]thought, ‘I will die with my [f]family,
And I will multiply my days as the sand.
19 My (V)root is spread out to the waters,
And (W)dew lies on my branch all night.
20 My glory is ever new with me,
And my (X)bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “To me (Y)they listened and waited,
And they kept silent for my advice.
22 After my words (Z)they did not speak again,
And (AA)my speech dropped on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouths as for the late rain.
24 I smiled at them when they did not believe,
And they did not look at [g]my kindness ungraciously.
25 I chose a way for them and sat as (AB)chief,
And lived as a king among the troops,
As one who (AC)comforted the mourners.
Job 29
New Living Translation
Job Speaks of His Former Blessings
29 Job continued speaking:
2 “I long for the years gone by
when God took care of me,
3 when he lit up the way before me
and I walked safely through the darkness.
4 When I was in my prime,
God’s friendship was felt in my home.
5 The Almighty was still with me,
and my children were around me.
6 My steps were awash in cream,
and the rocks gushed olive oil for me.
7 “Those were the days when I went to the city gate
and took my place among the honored leaders.
8 The young stepped aside when they saw me,
and even the aged rose in respect at my coming.
9 The princes stood in silence
and put their hands over their mouths.
10 The highest officials of the city stood quietly,
holding their tongues in respect.
11 “All who heard me praised me.
All who saw me spoke well of me.
12 For I assisted the poor in their need
and the orphans who required help.
13 I helped those without hope, and they blessed me.
And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy.
14 Everything I did was honest.
Righteousness covered me like a robe,
and I wore justice like a turban.
15 I served as eyes for the blind
and feet for the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor
and assisted strangers who needed help.
17 I broke the jaws of godless oppressors
and plucked their victims from their teeth.
18 “I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family
after a long, good life.[a]
19 For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water,
whose branches are refreshed with the dew.
20 New honors are constantly bestowed on me,
and my strength is continually renewed.’
21 “Everyone listened to my advice.
They were silent as they waited for me to speak.
22 And after I spoke, they had nothing to add,
for my counsel satisfied them.
23 They longed for me to speak as people long for rain.
They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them.
My look of approval was precious to them.
25 Like a chief, I told them what to do.
I lived like a king among his troops
and comforted those who mourned.
Footnotes
- 29:18 Hebrew after I have counted my days like sand.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
