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
International Standard Version
Job Wishes for the Old Days
29 Then Job continued with his discourse:
2 “I wish I could go back to how things were a few months ago;
when God used to watch over me,
3 when his lamp used to shine over my head,
so I could walk through the dark,
4 like when I was in my prime
and God trusted me with his secrets![a]
5 “The Almighty was still with me back then,
and my children were still around me.
6 I was successful wherever I went,[b]
and even the rocks poured out streams of olive oil for me.”
Job Remembers His Respected Position
7 “Whenever I went out to the city gate,
a seat had been reserved for me in the plaza.[c]
8 The young men would see me and withdraw,
and the aged would rise and stand.
9 Nobles would refrain from speaking,
covering their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the commanders-in-chief[d] were hushed,
and their tongues would cling to the roofs of their mouths.”
Job Remembers His Acts of Kindness
11 “When people heard me speak, they blessed me;
when people saw me, they approved me,
12 because I delivered the poor who were crying for help,
along with orphans who had no one to help them.
13 Those who were about to die blessed me,
and I made widows sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness like clothing;
my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.
15 I served as eyes for the blind
and feet for the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy;
I diligently inquired into the case of those I didn’t know.
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked,
and made him drop the prey.”
Job Remembers His Previous Condition
18 “I used to say: ‘I will die in my home.[e]
I’m going to live as many days
as there are grains of sand on the shore.[f]
19 My roots have spread out and have found water,
and dew settles at night on my branches.
20 My glory renews for me
and my bow is as good as new in my hand.’
21 “They listened and waited for me,
as they remained in silence for my counsel.
22 After I spoke, they had nothing to say,
when what I said hit them.
23 They waited for me as one waits for rain,
as one opens his mouth to drink in a spring rain shower.
24 I smiled at them when they had no confidence,
and no one could discourage me.
25 I set an example of the way to live,[g] as a leader would;
I lived like a king among his army;
like one who comforts mourners.”
Footnotes
- Job 29:4 Lit. God’s counsel was over my tent
- Job 29:6 Lit. When my feet were bathed in cream
- Job 29:7 Lit. square; i.e. he served as a ruling elder in his home city
- Job 29:10 Lit. Nagidim; i.e. senior officers entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority
- Job 29:18 Lit. nest
- Job 29:18 The Heb. lacks on the shore
- Job 29:25 Lit. I chose their way
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