Job 29:7-25
New American Standard Bible
7 When I went out to (A)the gate of the city,
When I [a]took my seat in the public square,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And the old men arose and stood.
9 The leaders (B)stopped talking
And (C)put their hands on their mouths;
10 The voices of the prominent people were [b](D)hushed,
And their (E)tongues stuck to their palates.
11 For when (F)an ear heard, it called me blessed,
And when an eye saw, it testified in support of me,
12 Because I saved (G)the poor who cried for help,
And the (H)orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the one who (I)was about to perish came upon me,
And I made the (J)widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I (K)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a headband.
15 I was (L)eyes to those who were blind,
And feet to those who [c]could not walk.
16 I was a father to (M)the poor,
And I investigated the case which I did not know.
17 I (N)broke the jaws of the wicked
And rescued the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I [d]thought, ‘I will die with my [e]family,
And I will multiply my days as the sand.
19 My (O)root is spread out to the waters,
And (P)dew lies on my branch all night.
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 they kept silent for my advice.
22 After my words (S)they did not speak again,
And (T)my speech dropped on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouths as for the late rain.
24 I smiled at them when they did not believe,
And they did not look at [f]my kindness ungraciously.
25 I chose a way for them and sat as (U)chief,
And lived as a king among the troops,
As one who (V)comforted the mourners.
Job 29:7-25
American Standard Version
7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city,
When I prepared my seat in the [a]street,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And 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 [b]hushed,
And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me;
And when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried,
The fatherless also, [c]that had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me;
And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it [d]clothed me:
My justice was as a robe and a [e]diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind,
And feet was I to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy:
And [f]the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
17 And I brake the [g]jaws of the unrighteous,
And plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die [h]in my nest,
And I shall multiply my days as the sand:
19 My root is [i]spread out [j]to the waters,
And the dew lieth all night upon my branch:
20 My glory is fresh in me,
And my bow is renewed in my hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited,
And kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again;
And my speech distilled upon them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain;
And they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 I smiled on them, when they had no confidence;
And the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief,
And dwelt as a king in the army,
As one that comforteth the mourners.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)