Job 29
Easy-to-Read Version
Job Continues His Speech
29 Job continued to speak:
2 “I wish my life could be the same as it was a few months ago,
when God watched over me and cared for me.
3 God’s light shined above me,
so I could walk through the darkness.
4 I wish for the days when I was successful,
when I enjoyed God’s friendship and blessing in my home.
5 God All-Powerful was still with me then,
and my children were all around me.
6 Life was so good that I washed my feet in cream
and had plenty of the finest oils.[a]
7 “Those were the days when I went to the city gate
and sat in the public meeting of the elders.
8 When the young men saw me coming, they stepped out of my way.
And the old men stood up to show they respected me.
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking
and put their hands over their mouths.
10 Even the most important leaders were quiet,
as if their tongues were stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 All who heard me said good things about me.
Those who saw what I did praised me,
12 because I helped the poor when they cried out.
I helped the orphans who had no one to care for them.
13 People who were dying asked God to bless me.
My help brought joy to widows in need.
14 Right living was my clothing.
Fairness was my robe and turban.
15 I was like eyes for the blind,
like feet for the crippled.
16 I was like a father to the poor.
I helped people I didn’t even know win their case in court.
17 I stopped evil people from abusing their power
and saved innocent people from them.[b]
18 “I always thought I would live a long life,
growing old with my family around me.
19 I was like a healthy plant with roots that have plenty of water
and branches that are wet with dew.
20 I thought each new day would bring more honor
and be full of new possibilities.[c]
21 “In the past people listened to me.
They waited quietly for my advice.
22 When I finished speaking, they had nothing more to say.
My words fell gently on their ears.
23 They waited for my words as they would for rain.
They drank them in like rain in the springtime.
24 I smiled at them, and they could hardly believe it.
My smile made them feel better.
25 I was their leader and made decisions about their future.
I was like a king among his troops, comforting those who were sad.
Footnotes
- Job 29:6 had plenty of the finest oils Literally, “Around the anointed rock near me were streams of oil.” This probably means Job had so much olive oil that there were streams of oil running down the altar from the part Job gave as a gift to God.
- Job 29:17 Literally, “I shattered the teeth of the crooked and snatched the victims from their teeth.”
- Job 29:20 Literally, “My glory is new with me and my bow in my hand renewed.” The words “glory” and “bow” might both refer to a rainbow—the promise of good weather after a storm. Or this might be understood as, “My soul feels new every day, my hand always strong enough to shoot a new bow.”
Job 29
English Standard Version
Job's Summary Defense
29 And Job again (A)took up his discourse, and said:
2 “Oh, that I were as in the months of old,
as in the days when God watched over me,
3 when his (B)lamp shone upon my head,
and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 as I was in my prime,[a]
when the (C)friendship of God was upon my tent,
5 when the Almighty was yet with me,
when my (D)children were all around me,
6 when my steps were (E)washed with (F)butter,
and (G)the rock poured out for me streams of (H)oil!
7 When I went out to (I)the gate of the city,
when I prepared my seat in the square,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew,
and the aged rose and stood;
9 the princes refrained from talking
and (J)laid their hand on their mouth;
10 the voice of the nobles was hushed,
and their (K)tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, it called me blessed,
and when the eye saw, it approved,
12 because I (L)delivered the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13 (M)The blessing of him who was (N)about to perish came upon me,
and I caused (O)the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I (P)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and (Q)a turban.
15 I was (R)eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I searched out (S)the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I (T)broke (U)the fangs of the unrighteous
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18 (V)Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my (W)nest,
and I shall multiply my days as (X)the sand,
19 my (Y)roots spread out to (Z)the waters,
with the dew all night on my (AA)branches,
20 my glory fresh with me,
and my (AB)bow ever (AC)new in my hand.’
21 “Men listened to me and waited
and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After I spoke they did not speak again,
and my word (AD)dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
and they (AE)opened their mouths as for the (AF)spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and (AG)the light of my (AH)face they did not cast down.
25 I chose their way and sat as chief,
and I lived like (AI)a king among his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.
Footnotes
- Job 29:4 Hebrew my autumn days
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
