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Job 29
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Job 29
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Job’s Final Claim of Innocence
29 Job continued his discourse, saying:
2 If only I could be as in months gone by,
in the days when God watched over me,
3 when His lamp shone above my head,
and I walked through darkness by His light!(A)
4 I would be as I was in the days of my youth
when God’s friendship(B) rested on my tent,
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children were around me,
6 when my feet were bathed in cream
and the rock(C) poured out streams of oil for me!
7 When I went out to the city gate
and took my seat in the town square,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew,
while older men stood to their feet.
9 City officials stopped talking
and covered their mouths with their hands.(D)
10 The noblemen’s voices were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 When they heard me, they blessed me,
and when they saw me, they spoke well of me.[a]
12 For I rescued the poor man who cried out for help,
and the fatherless child who had no one to support him.(E)
13 The dying man blessed me,
and I made the widow’s heart rejoice.
14 I clothed myself in righteousness,(F)
and it enveloped me;
my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.(G)
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I examined the case of the stranger.
17 I shattered the fangs of the unjust(H)
and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 So I thought: I will die in my own nest
and multiply my days as the sand.[b]
19 My roots will have access to water,(I)
and the dew will rest on my branches all night.
20 My strength will be refreshed within me,
and my bow will be renewed in my hand.(J)
21 Men listened to me with expectation,
waiting silently for my advice.
22 After a word from me they did not speak again;
my speech settled on them like dew.
23 They waited for me as for the rain
and opened their mouths as for spring showers.
24 If I smiled at them, they couldn’t believe it;
they were thrilled at[c] the light of my countenance.
25 I directed their course and presided as chief.
I lived as a king among his troops,
like one who comforts those who mourn.
Job 29
Young's Literal Translation
Job 29
Young's Literal Translation
29 And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: --
2 Who doth make me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God's preserving me?
3 In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.
4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.
5 When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about me -- my young ones,
6 When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me rivulets of oil.
7 When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
8 Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen -- they stood up.
9 Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.
10 The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
11 For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth [to] me.
12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.
13 The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
14 Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.
15 Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.
16 A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
18 And I say, `With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'
19 My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.
20 My honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.
21 To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
22 After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,
23 And they wait as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide [As] for the latter rain.
24 I laugh unto them -- they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.
25 I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.
Job 29
New International Version
Job 29
New International Version
Job’s Final Defense
29 Job continued his discourse:(A)
2 “How I long for the months gone by,(B)
for the days when God watched over me,(C)
3 when his lamp shone on my head
and by his light I walked through darkness!(D)
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God’s intimate friendship(E) blessed my house,(F)
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children(G) were around me,(H)
6 when my path was drenched with cream(I)
and the rock(J) poured out for me streams of olive oil.(K)
7 “When I went to the gate(L) of the city
and took my seat in the public square,
8 the young men saw me and stepped aside(M)
and the old men rose to their feet;(N)
9 the chief men refrained from speaking(O)
and covered their mouths with their hands;(P)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,(Q)
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.(R)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me,(S)
12 because I rescued the poor(T) who cried for help,
and the fatherless(U) who had none to assist them.(V)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;(W)
I made the widow’s(X) heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness(Y) as my clothing;
justice was my robe and my turban.(Z)
15 I was eyes(AA) to the blind
and feet to the lame.(AB)
16 I was a father to the needy;(AC)
I took up the case(AD) of the stranger.(AE)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
and snatched the victims(AF) from their teeth.(AG)
18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.(AH)
19 My roots will reach to the water,(AI)
and the dew will lie all night on my branches.(AJ)
20 My glory will not fade;(AK)
the bow(AL) will be ever new in my hand.’(AM)
21 “People listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel.(AN)
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;(AO)
my words fell gently on their ears.(AP)
23 They waited for me as for showers
and drank in my words as the spring rain.(AQ)
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
the light of my face(AR) was precious to them.[a](AS)
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;(AT)
I dwelt as a king(AU) among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.(AV)
Footnotes
- Job 29:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.