Job 29
BRG Bible
29 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
Job 29
Common English Bible
Job’s previous blessing
29 Job took up his subject again:
2 Oh, that life was like it used to be,
like days when God watched over me;
3 when his lamp shone on my head,
I walked by his light in the dark;
4 when I was in my prime;
when God’s counsel was in my tent;
5 when the Almighty was with me,
my children around me;
6 when my steps were washed with cream
and a rock poured out pools of oil for me.
Previous honor
7 When I went out to the city gate,
took my seat in the square,
8 the young saw me and drew back;
the old rose and stood;
9 princes restrained speech,
put their hand on their mouth;
10 the voices of officials were hushed,
their tongue stuck to their palate.
Job’s implementation of justice
11 Indeed, the ear that heard blessed me;
the eye that looked commended me,
12 because I rescued the weak who cried out,
the orphans who lacked help.
13 The blessing of the perishing reached me;
I made the widow’s heart sing;
14 I put on justice, and it clothed me,
righteousness as my coat and turban;
15 I was eyes to the blind,
feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy;
the case I didn’t know, I examined.
17 I shattered the fangs of the wicked,
rescued prey from their teeth.
Job’s expected blessing
18 I thought, I’ll die in my nest,
multiply days like sand,[a]
19 my roots opening to water,
dew lingering on my branches,
20 my honor newly with me,
my bow ever successful in my hand.
Previous honor
21 People listened to me and waited,
were silent for my advice.
22 After my speech, they didn’t respond.
My words fell gently on them;
23 they waited for me as for rain,
opened their mouth as for spring rain.
24 I smiled[b] on them; they couldn’t believe it.
They never showed me disfavor.
25 I decided their path, sat as chief.
I lived like a king with his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.
Job 29
American Standard Version
29 And Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in the months of old,
As in the days when God watched over me;
3 When his lamp shined [a]upon my head,
And by his light I walked through darkness;
4 As I was in [b]the ripeness of my days,
When the [c]friendship of God was upon my tent;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me,
And my children were about me;
6 When my steps were washed with butter,
And the rock poured me out streams of oil!
7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city,
When I prepared my seat in the [d]street,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And the aged rose up and stood;
9 The princes refrained from talking,
And laid their hand on their mouth;
10 The voice of the nobles was [e]hushed,
And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me;
And when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried,
The fatherless also, [f]that had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me;
And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it [g]clothed me:
My justice was as a robe and a [h]diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind,
And feet was I to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy:
And [i]the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
17 And I brake the [j]jaws of the unrighteous,
And plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die [k]in my nest,
And I shall multiply my days as the sand:
19 My root is [l]spread out [m]to the waters,
And the dew lieth all night upon my branch:
20 My glory is fresh in me,
And my bow is renewed in my hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited,
And kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again;
And my speech distilled upon them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain;
And they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 I smiled on them, when they had no confidence;
And the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief,
And dwelt as a king in the army,
As one that comforteth the mourners.
Footnotes
- Job 29:3 Or, above
- Job 29:4 Hebrew my days of autumn.
- Job 29:4 Or, counsel
- Job 29:7 Or, broad place
- Job 29:10 Hebrew hid.
- Job 29:12 Or, and him that had etc.
- Job 29:14 Or, clothed itself with me
- Job 29:14 Or, turban
- Job 29:16 Or, the cause which I knew not
- Job 29:17 Hebrew great teeth.
- Job 29:18 Or, beside. Hebrew with.
- Job 29:19 Hebrew opened.
- Job 29:19 Or, by
Blue Red and Gold Letter Edition™ Copyright © 2012 BRG Bible Ministries. Used by Permission. All rights reserved. BRG Bible is a Registered Trademark in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office #4145648
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)