² Oh, that life was like it used to be,
        like days when God watched over me;
³     when his lamp shone on my head,
        I walked by his light in the dark;
⁴     when I was in my prime;
        when God’s counsel was in my tent;
⁵     when the Almighty was with me,
        my children around me;
⁶     when my steps were washed with cream
        and a rock poured out pools of oil for me.

⁷ When I went out to the city gate,
        took my seat in the square,
⁸     the young saw me and drew back;
        the old rose and stood;
⁹     princes restrained speech,
        put their hand on their mouth;
¹⁰     the voices of officials were hushed,
        their tongue stuck to their palate.

¹¹ Indeed, the ear that heard blessed me;
        the eye that looked commended me,
¹²     because I rescued the weak who cried out,
        the orphans who lacked help.
¹³ The blessing of the perishing reached me;
    I made the widow’s heart sing;
¹⁴ I put on justice, and it clothed me,
    righteousness as my coat and turban;
¹⁵ I was eyes to the blind,
    feet to the lame.
¹⁶ I was a father to the needy;
    the case I didn’t know, I examined.
¹⁷ I shattered the fangs of the wicked,
    rescued prey from their teeth.

¹⁸ I thought, I’ll die in my nest,
        multiply days like sand,^[a]
19     my roots opening to water,
        dew lingering on my branches,
²⁰     my honor newly with me,
        my bow ever successful in my hand.

²¹ People listened to me and waited,
    were silent for my advice.
²² After my speech, they didn’t respond.
    My words fell gently on them;
²³         they waited for me as for rain,
        opened their mouth as for spring rain.
²⁴ I smiled^[b] on them; they couldn’t believe it.
    They never showed me disfavor.
²⁵ I decided their path, sat as chief.
    I lived like a king with his troops,
        like one who comforts mourners.