Job 29
New International Reader's Version
Job’s Final Speech
29 Job continued to speak. He said,
2 “How I long for the times when things were better!
That’s when God watched over me.
3 The light of his lamp shone on me.
I walked through darkness by his light.
4 Those were the best days of my life.
That’s when God’s friendship blessed my house.
5 The Mighty One was still with me.
My children were all around me.
6 The path in front of me was like sweet cream.
It was as if the rock poured out olive oil for me.
7 “In those days I went to the city gate.
I took my seat as a member of the council.
8 Young people who saw me stepped to one side.
Old people stood up as I approached.
9 The leaders stopped speaking.
They covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the nobles became quiet.
Their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 Everyone who heard me said good things about me.
Those who saw me honored me.
12 That’s because I saved poor people who cried out for help.
I saved helpless children whose fathers had died.
13 Those who were dying gave me their blessing.
I made the hearts of widows sing.
14 I put on a godly life as if it were my clothes.
Fairness was my robe and my turban.
15 I was like eyes for those who were blind.
I was like feet for those who couldn’t walk.
16 I was like a father to needy people.
I stood up for strangers in court.
17 Sinners are like animals that have powerful teeth.
But I took from their mouths the people they had caught.
18 “I thought, ‘I’ll die in my own house.
The days of my life will be as many as the grains of sand.
19 My roots will reach down to the water.
The dew will lie all night on my branches.
20 I will remain healthy and strong.
My bow will stay as good as new in my hand.’
21 “People wanted to hear what I had to say.
They waited silently for the advice I gave them.
22 After I had spoken, they didn’t speak anymore.
My words fell gently on their ears.
23 They waited for me just as they would wait for rain showers.
They drank my words just as they would drink the spring rain.
24 When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it.
The light of my face lifted their spirits.
25 I chose the way they should go. I sat as their chief.
I lived as a king lives among his troops.
I was like someone who comforts those who are sad.
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.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
