Job 29
New American Standard Bible
Job’s Past Was Glorious
29 Job again took up his (A)discourse and said,
2 “Oh that I were as in months gone by,
As in the days when God (B)watched over me;
3 When (C)His lamp shone over my head,
And (D)by His light I walked through darkness;
4 Just as I was in the days of my youth,
When the (E)protection of God was over my tent;
5 When [a]the Almighty was still with me,
And my children were around me;
6 When my steps were bathed in (F)cream,
And the (G)rock poured out streams of oil for me!
7 When I went out to (H)the gate of the city,
When I [b]took my seat in the public square,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And the old men arose and stood.
9 The leaders (I)stopped talking
And (J)put their hands on their mouths;
10 The voices of the prominent people were [c](K)hushed,
And their (L)tongues stuck to their palates.
11 For when (M)an ear heard, it called me blessed,
And when an eye saw, it testified in support of me,
12 Because I saved (N)the poor who cried for help,
And the (O)orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the one who (P)was about to perish came upon me,
And I made the (Q)widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I (R)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a headband.
15 I was (S)eyes to those who were blind,
And feet to those who [d]could not walk.
16 I was a father to (T)the poor,
And I investigated the case which I did not know.
17 I (U)broke the jaws of the wicked
And rescued the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I [e]thought, ‘I will die with my [f]family,
And I will multiply my days as the sand.
19 My (V)root is spread out to the waters,
And (W)dew lies on my branch all night.
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 they kept silent for my advice.
22 After my words (Z)they did not speak again,
And (AA)my speech dropped on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouths as for the late rain.
24 I smiled at them when they did not believe,
And they did not look at [g]my kindness ungraciously.
25 I chose a way for them and sat as (AB)chief,
And lived as a king among the troops,
As one who (AC)comforted the mourners.
Iyov 29
Orthodox Jewish Bible
29 Moreover Iyov continued his mashal, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when Eloah was shomer over me;
3 When His ner (lamp) shined upon my rosh, and when by His ohr I walked through choshech;
4 As I was in the days of my prime, when the Sod Eloah (friendship, counsel of G-d) was over my ohel;
5 When Shaddai was yet with me, when my children were around me;
6 When I washed my steps with khemah, and the tzur poured me out streams of shemen;
7 When I went out to the sha’ar through the city, when I took my moshav in the rekhov!
8 The ne’arim saw me, and stepped aside, and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The sarim (nobles) refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their leshon cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ozen heard me, then it commended me; and when the ayin saw me, it did bear witness of me,
12 Because I delivered the oni that cried out, and the yatom that had no ozer (helper) for him.
13 The birkat oved (blessing of the oppressed) came upon me, and I caused the lev almanah to sing for joy.
14 I put on tzedek, and it clothed me; my mishpat was as a robe and a tzanif (turban).
15 I was eyes to the ivver, and feet was I to the pisei’ach.
16 I was an av to the evyonim (needy); and the cause which I knew not I investigated.
17 And I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his shinayim.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my ken (nest, house), and I shall multiply my yamim like the chol (sand).
19 My shoresh was spread out to the mayim, and the tal lay all night upon my branch.
20 My kavod was fresh with me, and my keshet was ever new in my yad.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my etzah (counsel).
22 Acharei (after) my words they spoke not again; and my speech fell upon them.
23 And they waited for me as for the matar; and they opened their mouth wide as for the malkosh (spring, late rain).
24 I smiled on them when they did not believe; and the ohr of my countenance they did not cast down.
25 I chose out their derech, and sat as Rosh, and dwelt as a melech with his army, as one that comforteth the avelim (mourners).
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