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When I went out to (A)the gate of the city,
When I [a]took my seat in the square,
The young men saw me and hid,
And the old men arose and stood.
The princes (B)stopped talking
And (C)put their hands on their mouths;
10 The voice of the nobles was (D)hidden away,
And their (E)tongue clung to their palate.
11 For (F)the ear heard, and it called me blessed,
And the eye saw, and it gave witness of me,
12 Because I provided escape for (G)the afflicted who cried for help,
And the (H)orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the one (I)ready to perish came upon me,
And I made the (J)widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I (K)clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was (L)eyes to the blind
And feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to (M)the needy,
And I searched out the case which I did not know.
17 I (N)broke the fangs of the unjust
And snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I [b]said, ‘I will breathe my last [c]in my nest,
And I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 My (O)root is spread out to the waters,
And (P)dew lies all night on my branch.
20 My glory is ever new with me,
And my (Q)bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 “To me (R)they listened and waited,
And kept silent for my counsel.
22 After my words they did not (S)speak again,
And (T)my speech dropped on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouth as for the [d]late rain.
24 I laughed with them as they could not believe it,
And the light of my face they did not cast down.
25 I chose a way for them and sat as (U)chief,
And dwelt as their head among the troops,
As one who (V)comforted the mourners.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 29:7 Lit set up
  2. Job 29:18 Or thought
  3. Job 29:18 Lit with
  4. Job 29:23 Spring

When I went out to the city gate(A)
and took my seat in the town square,
the young men saw me and withdrew,
while older men stood to their feet.
City officials stopped talking
and covered their mouths with their hands.(B)
10 The noblemen’s voices were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.(C)
11 When they heard me, they blessed me,
and when they saw me, they spoke well of me.[a]
12 For I rescued the poor who cried out for help,
and the fatherless child who had no one to support him.(D)
13 The dying blessed me,
and I made the widow’s heart rejoice.
14 I clothed myself in righteousness,(E)
and it enveloped me;
my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.(F)
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I examined the case of the stranger.
17 I shattered the fangs of the unjust(G)
and snatched the prey from his teeth.

18 So I thought, “I will die in my own nest
and multiply my days as the sand.[b]
19 My roots will have access to water,(H)
and the dew will rest on my branches all night.
20 My whole being will be refreshed within me,
and my bow will be renewed in my hand.”(I)

21 Men listened to me with expectation,
waiting silently for my advice.
22 After a word from me they did not speak again;
my speech settled on them like dew.(J)
23 They waited for me as for the rain
and opened their mouths as for spring showers.
24 If I smiled at them, they couldn’t believe it;
they were thrilled at[c] the light of my countenance.
25 I directed their course and presided as chief.
I lived as a king among his troops,
like one who comforts those who mourn.

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Footnotes

  1. 29:11 Lit When an ear heard, it called me blessed, and when an eye saw, it testified for me
  2. 29:18 Or as the phoenix
  3. 29:24 Lit they did not cast down