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Job Continues

29 Job continued ·to speak [L his discourse; 27:1]:

“How I wish for the months ·that have passed [of old]
    and the days when God ·watched over [protected; guarded] me.
God’s lamp shined ·on [or over] my head,
    and I walked ·through [in] darkness by his light.
I wish for the days when I was ·strong [in the prime of my life],
    when God’s close friendship ·blessed my house [L was over my tent].
·The Almighty [Shaddai] was still with me,
    and my children were all around me.
It was as if my ·path [or steps] were covered with ·cream [or butter]
    and the rocks poured out olive oil for me [C representing his earlier prosperity; 1:1–5].
I would go to the city gate
    and sit in the public square [C indicating Job was a city leader/elder].
When the young men saw me, they would ·step aside [or hide],
    and the old men would stand up in respect.
The ·leading men [princes] ·stopped speaking [L grew silent]
    and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the ·important men [nobles] ·were quiet [grew silent],
    as if their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 ·Anyone [L Any ear] who heard me ·spoke well of [L blessed] me,
    and ·those who [L the eye that] saw me ·praised [L bore testimony to] me,
12 because I ·saved [rescued] the poor who ·called out [L cried for help]
    and the orphan who had no one to help.
13 The ·dying [L perishing] person blessed me,
    and I made the widow’s heart ·sing [L shout for joy].
14 I ·put on right living as if it were clothing [L clothed myself with righteousness and it clothed me];
    I wore ·fairness [justice] like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes for the blind
    and feet for the lame.
16 I was like a father to needy people,
    and I ·took the side of [examined the cause of] ·strangers who were in trouble [L strangers; those I did not know].
17 I broke the ·fangs [or jaw] of evil people
    and snatched the ·captives [L prey; C the wicked are predators] from their teeth.

18 “I thought, ‘I will ·live for as many days as there are grains of [L multiply my days like] sand,
    and I will die in my ·own house [L nest].
19 My roots ·will reach down [opened] to the water.
    The dew ·will lie [lodged] on the branches all night.
20 ·New honors will come to me continually [My honor/or liver/heart was new],
    and ·I will always have great strength [L my bow was renewed within my hand].’

21 “People listened to me carefully
    and waited ·quietly [silently] for my advice.
22 After I finished speaking, they spoke no more.
    My words ·fell [L dripped] very gently on their ears.
23 They waited for me as they would for rain
    and ·drank in my words like [L opened their mouth for] spring rain.
24 I smiled at them when they ·doubted [L had no confidence],
    and ·my approval was important to them [L they did not frown at the light of my countenance].
25 I chose the way for them and ·was their leader [L sat as their chief].
    I lived like a king among his army,
like a person who comforts ·sad [mourning] people.

29 Y VOLVIÓ Job á tomar su propósito, y dijo:

¡Quién me tornase como en los meses pasados,

Como en los días que Dios me guardaba,

Cuando hacía resplandecer su candela sobre mi cabeza,

A la luz de la cual yo caminaba en la oscuridad;

Como fué en los días de mi mocedad,

Cuando el secreto de Dios estaba en mi tienda;

Cuando aún el Omnipotente estaba conmigo,

Y mis hijos alrededor de mí;

Cuando lavaba yo mis caminos con manteca,

Y la piedra me derramaba ríos de aceite!

Cuando salía á la puerta á juicio,

Y en la plaza hacía preparar mi asiento,

Los mozos me veían, y se escondían;

Y los viejos se levantaban, y estaban en pie;

Los príncipes detenían sus palabras,

Ponían la mano sobre su boca;

10 La voz de los principales se ocultaba,

Y su lengua se pegaba á su paladar:

11 Cuando los oídos que me oían, me llamaban bienaventurado,

Y los ojos que me veían, me daban testimonio:

12 Porque libraba al pobre que gritaba,

Y al huérfano que carecía de ayudador.

13 La bendición del que se iba á perder venía sobre mí;

Y al corazón de la viuda daba alegría.

14 Vestíame de justicia, y ella me vestía como un manto;

Y mi toca era juicio.

15 Yo era ojos al ciego,

Y pies al cojo.

16 A los menesterosos era padre;

Y de la causa que no entendía, me informaba con diligencia:

17 Y quebraba los colmillos del inicuo,

Y de sus dientes hacía soltar la presa.

18 Y decía yo: En mi nido moriré,

Y como arena multiplicaré días.

19 Mi raíz estaba abierta junto á las aguas,

Y en mis ramas permanecía el rocío.

20 Mi honra se renovaba en mí,

Y mi arco se corroboraba en mi mano.

21 Oíanme, y esperaban;

Y callaban á mi consejo.

22 Tras mi palabra no replicaban,

Y mi razón destilaba sobre ellos.

23 Y esperábanme como á la lluvia,

Y abrían su boca como á la lluvia tardía.

24 Si me reía con ellos, no lo creían:

Y no abatían la luz de mi rostro.

25 Calificaba yo el camino de ellos, y sentábame en cabecera;

Y moraba como rey en el ejército,

Como el que consuela llorosos.