Job 29:7-25
World English Bible
7 when I went out to the city gate,
when I prepared my seat in the street.
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves.
The aged rose up and stood.
9 The princes refrained from talking,
and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed,
and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me;
and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
12 Because I delivered the poor who cried,
and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me,
and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me.
My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind,
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy.
I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous
and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house,
I will count my days as the sand.
19 My root is spread out to the waters.
The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 My glory is fresh in me.
My bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “Men listened to me, waited,
and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they didn’t speak again.
My speech fell on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain.
Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence.
They didn’t reject the light of my face.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief.
I lived as a king in the army,
as one who comforts the mourners.
Job 29:7-25
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
7 When I went out to the gate of the city,
when I took my seat in the square,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew,
and the aged rose up and stood;
9 the nobles refrained from talking
and laid their hands on their mouths;(A)
10 the voices of princes were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.(B)
11 When the ear heard, it commended me,
and when the eye saw, it approved,
12 because I delivered the poor who cried
and the orphan who had no helper.(C)
13 The blessing of the wretched came upon me,
and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.(D)
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and a turban.(E)
15 I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I championed the cause of the stranger.(F)
17 I broke the fangs of the unrighteous
and made them drop their prey from their teeth.(G)
18 Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,
and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix;[a](H)
19 my roots spread out to the waters,
with the dew all night on my branches;(I)
20 my glory was fresh with me
and my bow ever new in my hand.’(J)
21 “They listened to me and waited
and kept silence for my counsel.(K)
22 After I spoke they did not speak again,
and my word dropped upon them like dew.[b](L)
23 They waited for me as for the rain;
they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and the light of my countenance they did not extinguish.[c]
25 I chose what they should do and sat as chief,
and I lived like a king among his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.(M)
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.