Job 29
Legacy Standard Bible
Job Continues His Discourse
29 And Job continued to lift up his [a](A)discourse and said,
2 “Oh that I were as in months gone by,
As in the days when God (B)kept me,
3 When (C)His lamp shone over my head,
And (D)by His light I walked through darkness,
4 As I was in [b]the prime of my days,
When the (E)intimate counsel with God was over my tent,
5 When [c]the Almighty was yet with me,
And my children were around me,
6 When my steps were bathed in (F)butter,
And the (G)rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 When I went out to (H)the gate of the city,
When I [d]took my seat in the square,
8 The young men saw me and hid,
And the old men arose and stood.
9 The princes (I)stopped talking
And (J)put their hands on their mouths;
10 The voice of the nobles was (K)hidden away,
And their (L)tongue clung to their palate.
11 For (M)the ear heard, and it called me blessed,
And the eye saw, and it gave witness of me,
12 Because I provided escape for (N)the afflicted who cried for help,
And the (O)orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the one (P)ready to perish came upon me,
And I made the (Q)widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I (R)clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was (S)eyes to the blind
And feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to (T)the needy,
And I searched out the case which I did not know.
17 I (U)broke the fangs of the unjust
And snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I [e]said, ‘I will breathe my last [f]in my nest,
And I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 My (V)root is spread out to the waters,
And (W)dew lies all night on my branch.
20 My glory is ever new with me,
And my (X)bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “To me (Y)they listened and waited,
And kept silent for my counsel.
22 After my words they did not (Z)speak again,
And (AA)my speech dropped on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouth as for the [g]late rain.
24 I laughed with them as they could not believe it,
And the light of my face they did not cast down.
25 I chose a way for them and sat as (AB)chief,
And dwelt as their head among the troops,
As one who (AC)comforted the mourners.
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.
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