Job 29
Living Bible
29 Job continues:
2 “Oh, for the years gone by when God took care of me, 3 when he lighted the way before me and I walked safely through the darkness; 4 yes, in my early years, when the friendship of God was felt in my home; 5 when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me; 6 when my projects prospered and even the rock poured out streams of olive oil to me!
7 “Those were the days when I went out to the city gate and took my place among the honored elders. 8 The young saw me and stepped aside, and even the aged rose and stood up in respect at my coming. 9 The princes stood in silence and laid their hands upon their mouths. 10 The highest officials of the city stood in quietness. 11 All rejoiced in what I said. All who saw me spoke well of me.
12 “For I, as an honest judge,[a] helped the poor in their need and the fatherless who had no one to help them. 13 I helped those who were ready to perish, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy. 14 All I did was just and honest, for righteousness was my clothing! 15 I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. 16 I was as a father to the poor and saw to it that even strangers received a fair trial. 17 I knocked out the fangs of the godless oppressors and made them drop their victims.
18 “I thought, ‘Surely I shall die quietly in my nest after a long, good life.’ 19 For everything I did prospered; the dew lay all night upon my fields and watered them. 20 Fresh honors were constantly given me, and my abilities were constantly refreshed and renewed. 21 Everyone listened to me and valued my advice, and was silent until I spoke. 22 And after I spoke, they spoke no more, for my counsel satisfied them. 23 They longed for me to speak as those in drought-time long for rain. They waited eagerly with open mouths. 24 When they were discouraged, I smiled and that encouraged them and lightened their spirits. 25 I told them what they should do and corrected them as their chief, or as a king instructs his army, and as one who comforts those who mourn.
Footnotes
- Job 29:12 For I, as an honest judge, implied in v. 7.
Job 29
Amplified Bible
Job’s Past Was Glorious
29 And Job again took up his discussion and said,
2
“Oh, that I were as in the months of old,
As in the days when God watched over me,(A)
3
When His lamp shone upon my head
And by His light I walked through darkness;
4
As I was in the prime of my days,
When the friendship and counsel of God were over my tent,
5
When [a]the Almighty was still with me
And my boys were around me,
6
When my steps [through rich pastures] were washed with butter and cream [from my livestock],
And the rock poured out for me streams of oil [from my olive groves].
7
“When I went out to the gate of the city,
When I took my seat [as a city father] in the square,
8
The young men saw me and hid themselves,
The aged arose and stood [respectfully];
9
The princes stopped talking
And put their hands on their mouths;
10
The voices of the nobles were hushed,
And their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11
“For when an ear heard [my name mentioned], it called me happy and fortunate;
And when an eye saw [me], it testified for me [approvingly],
12
Because I rescued the poor who cried for help,
And the orphan who had no helper.
13
“The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me,
And I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14
“I put on [b]righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban!
15
“I was eyes to the blind
And I was feet to the lame.
16
“I was a father to the needy;
I investigated the case I did not know [and assured justice].
17
“And I smashed the jaws of the wicked
And snatched the prey from his teeth.
18
“Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest,
And I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19
‘My root is spread out and open to the waters,
And the dew lies all night upon my branch.
20
‘My glory and honor are fresh in me [being constantly renewed],
And my bow gains [ever] new strength in my hand.’
21
“They listened to me and waited
And kept silent for my counsel.
22
“After I spoke, they did not speak again,
And my speech dropped upon them [like a refreshing shower].
23
“They waited for me [and for my words] as for the rain,
And they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24
“I smiled at them when they did not believe,
And they did not diminish the light of my face.
25
“I chose a way for them and sat as chief,
And dwelt as a king among his soldiers,
As one who comforts mourners.
Footnotes
- Job 29:5 Heb Shaddai.
- Job 29:14 Blameless and upright as Job had been—and God had so pronounced him—his misunderstood afflictions had caused him to get dangerously off-center. Instead of keeping his mind focused on God and justifying Him, he is giving his whole thought to justifying himself. Instead of humility there is self-righteousness. In this chapter he uses pronouns referring to himself fifty times. But when he was able to see himself as God saw him, he loathed himself and repented “in dust and ashes” (42:6).
Job 29
King James Version
29 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
Job 29
New King James Version
Job’s Summary Defense
29 Job further continued his discourse, and said:
2 “Oh, that I were as in months (A)past,
As in the days when God (B)watched over me;
3 (C)When His lamp shone upon my head,
And when by His light I walked through darkness;
4 Just as I was in the days of my prime,
When (D)the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me,
When my children were around me;
6 When (E)my steps were bathed with [a]cream,
And (F)the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!
7 “When I went out to the gate by the city,
When I took my seat in the open square,
8 The young men saw me and hid,
And the aged arose and stood;
9 The princes refrained from talking,
And (G)put their hand on their mouth;
10 The voice of nobles was hushed,
And their (H)tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, then it blessed me,
And when the eye saw, then it approved me;
12 Because (I)I delivered the poor who cried out,
The fatherless and the one who had no helper.
13 The blessing of a perishing man came upon me,
And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 (J)I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was (K)eyes to the blind,
And I was feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor,
And (L)I searched out the case that I did not know.
17 I broke (M)the fangs of the wicked,
And plucked the victim from his teeth.
18 “Then I said, (N)‘I shall die in my nest,
And multiply my days as the sand.
19 (O)My root is spread out (P)to the waters,
And the dew lies all night on my branch.
20 My glory is fresh within me,
And my (Q)bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “Men listened to me and waited,
And kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they did not speak again,
And my speech settled on them as dew.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And they opened their mouth wide as for (R)the spring rain.
24 If I mocked at them, they did not believe it,
And the light of my countenance they did not cast down.
25 I chose the way for them, and sat as chief;
So I dwelt as a king in the army,
As one who comforts mourners.
Jó 29
Nova Versão Transformadora
Jó fala das bênçãos do passado
29 Jó continuou a falar:
2 “Tenho saudade dos tempos que passaram,
dos dias em que Deus cuidava de mim.
3 Ele iluminava o caminho à minha frente,
e eu andava em segurança em meio à escuridão.
4 Na flor de minha idade,
a amizade de Deus estava presente em meu lar.
5 O Todo-poderoso ainda estava comigo,
e eu tinha meus filhos ao redor.
6 Meus pés eram lavados em leite,
e ribeiros de azeite corriam das rochas para mim.
7 “Naquele tempo, eu ia até a porta da cidade
e tomava meu lugar entre os líderes.
8 Os jovens abriam caminho ao me ver,
e até os idosos se punham em pé.
9 As autoridades se calavam
e colocavam a mão sobre a boca.
10 Os mais altos oficiais da cidade faziam silêncio
e refreavam a língua em sinal de respeito.
11 “Todos que me ouviam me elogiavam,
todos que me viam falavam bem de mim.
12 Pois eu auxiliava os pobres que pediam ajuda
e os órfãos que precisavam de socorro.
13 Os que estavam à beira da morte me abençoavam;
eu trazia alegria ao coração das viúvas.
14 Era honesto em tudo que fazia;
a retidão me cobria como manto,
e a justiça eu usava como turbante.
15 Servia de olhos para os cegos
e de pés para os aleijados.
16 Era um pai para os pobres
e defendia a causa dos estrangeiros.
17 Quebrava as mandíbulas dos ímpios
e de seus dentes resgatava as vítimas.
18 ‘Por certo morrerei rodeado por minha família’,
pensava, ‘depois de uma vida longa e boa.[a]
19 Pois sou como a árvore cujas raízes chegam até a água,
cujos ramos são refrescados pelo orvalho.
20 Recebo sempre novas honras,
e minha força vive renovada.’
21 “Todos escutavam meus conselhos;
ficavam em silêncio e esperavam que eu falasse.
22 E, depois que eu falava, nada tinham a acrescentar,
pois o que eu dizia os satisfazia.
23 Esperavam minhas palavras como quem espera a chuva;
bebiam-nas como chuva de primavera.
24 Quando estavam desanimados, eu sorria para eles;
valorizavam meu olhar de aprovação.
25 Como um líder, eu lhes dizia o que fazer;
vivia como rei entre suas tropas e consolava os que choravam.”
Footnotes
- 29.18 Em hebraico, depois que eu tiver contado meus dias como areia.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
BÍBLIA SAGRADA, NOVA VERSÃO TRANSFORMADORA copyright © 2016 by Mundo Cristão. Used by permission of Associação Religiosa Editora Mundo Cristão, Todos os direitos reservados.
