Job's Summary Defense

29 And Job again (A)took up his discourse, and said:

“Oh, that I were as in the months of old,
    as in the days when God watched over me,
when his (B)lamp shone upon my head,
    and by his light I walked through darkness,
as I was in my prime,[a]
    when the (C)friendship of God was upon my tent,
when the Almighty was yet with me,
    when my (D)children were all around me,
when my steps were (E)washed with (F)butter,
    and (G)the rock poured out for me streams of (H)oil!

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Job 29:4 Hebrew my autumn days

Job Wishes for the Old Days

29 Then Job continued with his discourse:

“I wish I could go back to how things were a few months ago;
    when God used to watch over me,
when his lamp used to shine over my head,
    so I could walk through the dark,
like when I was in my prime
    and God trusted me with his secrets![a]

“The Almighty was still with me back then,
    and my children were still around me.
I was successful wherever I went,[b]
    and even the rocks poured out streams of olive oil for me.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Job 29:4 Lit. God’s counsel was over my tent
  2. Job 29:6 Lit. When my feet were bathed in cream

Job’s Final Defense

29 Job continued his discourse:(A)

“How I long for the months gone by,(B)
    for the days when God watched over me,(C)
when his lamp shone on my head
    and by his light I walked through darkness!(D)
Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
    when God’s intimate friendship(E) blessed my house,(F)
when the Almighty was still with me
    and my children(G) were around me,(H)
when my path was drenched with cream(I)
    and the rock(J) poured out for me streams of olive oil.(K)

Read full chapter