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)
Job 29
Evangelical Heritage Version
Job’s Soliloquy[a]
The Happiness of the Good Old Days
29 Job resumed his discourse. He said:
2 Oh how I wish I could be as I used to be
in the months gone by,
in the days when God used to watch over me,
3 when his lamp was shining over my head,
and I walked through darkness toward[b] his light,
4 when I was in my prime,
and the friendly guidance of God was over my tent,
5 when the Almighty was still with me,
and my children still surrounded me,
6 when my footsteps were washed in cream,
and a rock poured out streams of oil for me,
7 when I went out to the gatehouse[c] of the city,
and I took my customary seat in the public square.
8 The young men saw me and stepped aside.
The elders rose and remained standing in my presence.
9 The officials held back their words.
They placed their hands over their mouths.
10 The voices of the nobles fell silent.
Their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 Every ear that heard what I said called me blessed.
Every eye that saw what I did testified on my behalf.
12 Because I saved the poor when they cried for help
and the fatherless when they had no helper,
13 the blessing of the dying rested upon me,
and I made the heart of the widow happy.
14 I dressed myself with righteousness,
and it clothed me.
My justice clothed me like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
16 I was a father for the needy.
I investigated their cases for people I did not know.
17 I shattered the fangs of the wicked,
and I snatched their prey from their teeth.
18 So I thought: “I will pass away in my own nest,
after multiplying my days like grains of sand.
19 My roots will be soaked with water,
and dew will settle on my branches at night.
20 My honor will always be fresh for me,
and my bow in my hand will never wear out.”
21 People listened to me eagerly.
They kept silent, waiting for my advice.
22 After I spoke, they did not keep speaking.[d]
My words fell on them gently.
23 They waited for me the way people wait for rain.
They opened their mouths the way people wait for spring showers.
24 When I laughed with them, they did not believe it.
In the light from my face, they were never downcast.
25 I chose the way for them,
and I was seated as their head,
like a king among the troops,
like one who comforts mourners.
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.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.