Job 29
English Standard Version
Job's Summary Defense
29 And Job again (A)took up his discourse, 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 (B)lamp shone upon my head,
and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 as I was in my prime,[a]
when the (C)friendship of God was upon my tent,
5 when the Almighty was yet with me,
when my (D)children were all around me,
6 when my steps were (E)washed with (F)butter,
and (G)the rock poured out for me streams of (H)oil!
7 When I went out to (I)the gate of the city,
when I prepared my seat in the square,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew,
and the aged rose and stood;
9 the princes refrained from talking
and (J)laid their hand on their mouth;
10 the voice of the nobles was hushed,
and their (K)tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, it called me blessed,
and when the eye saw, it approved,
12 because I (L)delivered the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13 (M)The blessing of him who was (N)about to perish came upon me,
and I caused (O)the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I (P)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and (Q)a turban.
15 I was (R)eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I searched out (S)the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I (T)broke (U)the fangs of the unrighteous
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18 (V)Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my (W)nest,
and I shall multiply my days as (X)the sand,
19 my (Y)roots spread out to (Z)the waters,
with the dew all night on my (AA)branches,
20 my glory fresh with me,
and my (AB)bow ever (AC)new in my hand.’
21 “Men listened to me and waited
and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After I spoke they did not speak again,
and my word (AD)dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
and they (AE)opened their mouths as for the (AF)spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and (AG)the light of my (AH)face they did not cast down.
25 I chose their way and sat as chief,
and I lived like (AI)a king among his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.
Footnotes
- Job 29:4 Hebrew my autumn days
Job 29
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Job Finishes His Defense
29 Job again took up his discourse and said:(A)
2 “O that I were as in the months of old,
as in the days when God watched over me,(B)
3 when his lamp shone over my head,
and by his light I walked through darkness,(C)
4 when I was in my prime,
when the friendship of God was upon my tent,(D)
5 when the Almighty[a] was still with me,
when my children were around me,
6 when my steps were washed with milk
and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!(E)
7 When I went out to the gate of the city,
when I took my seat in the square,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew,
and the aged rose up and stood;
9 the nobles refrained from talking
and laid their hands on their mouths;(F)
10 the voices of princes were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.(G)
11 When the ear heard, it commended me,
and when the eye saw, it approved,
12 because I delivered the poor who cried
and the orphan who had no helper.(H)
13 The blessing of the wretched came upon me,
and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.(I)
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and a turban.(J)
15 I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I championed the cause of the stranger.(K)
17 I broke the fangs of the unrighteous
and made them drop their prey from their teeth.(L)
18 Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,
and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix;[b](M)
19 my roots spread out to the waters,
with the dew all night on my branches;(N)
20 my glory was fresh with me
and my bow ever new in my hand.’(O)
21 “They listened to me and waited
and kept silence for my counsel.(P)
22 After I spoke they did not speak again,
and my word dropped upon them like dew.[c](Q)
23 They waited for me as for the rain;
they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and the light of my countenance they did not extinguish.[d]
25 I chose what they should do and sat as chief,
and I lived like a king among his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.(R)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.