Job 29:7-25
Revised Standard Version
7 When I went out to 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 laid their hand on their mouth;
10 the voice of the nobles was hushed,
and their tongue cleaved 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 delivered the poor who cried,
and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me,
and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind,
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor,
and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I broke the fangs of the unrighteous,
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18 Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,
and I shall multiply my days as the sand,
19 my roots spread out to the waters,
with the dew all night on my branches,
20 my glory fresh with me,
and my bow ever 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 dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain;
and 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 cast down.
25 I chose their way, and sat as chief,
and I dwelt like a king among his troops,
like one who comforts 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.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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