Job 29:7-25
English Standard Version
7 When I went out to (A)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 (B)laid their hand on their mouth;
10 the voice of the nobles was hushed,
and their (C)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 (D)delivered the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13 (E)The blessing of him who was (F)about to perish came upon me,
and I caused (G)the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I (H)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and (I)a turban.
15 I was (J)eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I searched out (K)the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I (L)broke (M)the fangs of the unrighteous
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18 (N)Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my (O)nest,
and I shall multiply my days as (P)the sand,
19 my (Q)roots spread out to (R)the waters,
with the dew all night on my (S)branches,
20 my glory fresh with me,
and my (T)bow ever (U)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 (V)dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
and they (W)opened their mouths as for the (X)spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and (Y)the light of my (Z)face they did not cast down.
25 I chose their way and sat as chief,
and I lived like (AA)a king among his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.
Job 29:7-25
New Living Translation
7 “Those were the days when I went to the city gate
and took my place among the honored leaders.
8 The young stepped aside when they saw me,
and even the aged rose in respect at my coming.
9 The princes stood in silence
and put their hands over their mouths.
10 The highest officials of the city stood quietly,
holding their tongues in respect.
11 “All who heard me praised me.
All who saw me spoke well of me.
12 For I assisted the poor in their need
and the orphans who required help.
13 I helped those without hope, and they blessed me.
And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy.
14 Everything I did was honest.
Righteousness covered me like a robe,
and I wore justice like a turban.
15 I served as eyes for the blind
and feet for the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor
and assisted strangers who needed help.
17 I broke the jaws of godless oppressors
and plucked their victims from their teeth.
18 “I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family
after a long, good life.[a]
19 For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water,
whose branches are refreshed with the dew.
20 New honors are constantly bestowed on me,
and my strength is continually renewed.’
21 “Everyone listened to my advice.
They were silent as they waited for me to speak.
22 And after I spoke, they had nothing to add,
for my counsel satisfied them.
23 They longed for me to speak as people long for rain.
They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them.
My look of approval was precious to them.
25 Like a chief, I told them what to do.
I lived like a king among his troops
and comforted those who mourned.
Footnotes
- 29:18 Hebrew after I have counted my days like sand.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
